June 11 recognized as International Day of Play
VGP - The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) approved a resolution proposed by 13 countries including Viet Nam, declaring June 11 as the International Day of Play.
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN
Addressing the UNGA session on March 25, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, highlighted the role and significance of play in human development and social life.
Play is the basic foundation for human development at all ages, that helps people overcome social and cultural barriers to explore, learn and connect, promote creativity and innovation, and contribute to the comprehensive mental and physical development of children- the future generation of humanity.
In addition, play also promotes a culture of dialogue, solidarity and cooperation, contributing to preventing conflicts and building peace.
Following the passage of the resolution, the International Day of Play will be marked annually.
The resolution calls on all UN member states, UN organizations, other international, regional and subregional organizations and other relevant stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector and academia, to observe the International Day of Play appropriately through activities aimed at education and awareness-raising of the importance of play.
Viet Nam was among 13 core group countries that championed for resolution, with the support of 138 countries that co-sponsored the resolution. The countries were Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Bulgaria, El Salvador, Indonesia, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kenya.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) welcomed the adoption of the resolution, affirming that they will make positive contributions to the observance of the event.
Earlier, the Lunar New Year, the most important occasion for the Vietnamese people, was designated by the United Nations as an annual floating holiday.
The adoption of a resolution designating the Lunar New Year as a UN holiday followed a proposal submitted in August by 12 countries, including Viet Nam. On August 10, 2023, the heads of mission of 12 countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and Viet Nam./.
