“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

-Nelson Mandela

St. Joseph’s Sr. Sec. School, Chandigarh joined hands with the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child’s Rights in pursuance of their commitment towards the well- being of children. This was in continuation of a Month Long Mass Celebration – World Children’s Day to Veer Bal Diwas, 2023.The school proudly hosted an Inter School Declamation to empower young voices to raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding Children’s Rights and fostering an environment to thrive and flourish. The Declamation is a strong testament of the school’s active engagement in promotion of Child’s Rights to bring in inclusivity and equality for girls and is one of the several endeavours undertaken in ttis direction.

The event was presided over by Ms. Shipra Bansal, Chairperson CCPCR who has been relentlessly working in the field of Child Protection and Rights. It witnessed the participation of more than 32 students from various Government and Private Schools of the city, who spoke on specially curated topics advocating Child Rights with the intent to spark discussions and critical thinking.  The entire hall of the school resounded with applause and acknowledgement as the participants from various schools took turns to present opinions, perspectives and well researched facts, urging all to think and act before it’s too late.   The Declamation was judged by a panel of Judges, all seasoned teachers,   which included Ms. Aarti Malhotra, Ms. Amarpreet Kaur and Ms. Rubyna who were all praises for the passion and the commitment displayed by each of the participants. They shared that the eloquent speakers were an inspiration for many, to rise to the challenge of building a just and equitable society where children are cherished and protected.

The Honourable Guest of Honour, Ms. Shipra Bansal congratulated all the participants and addressed them as the advocates of Child Rights. She urged them to continue striving for creating a society where every child can cherish a dream and have an opportunity to fulfill it.  The Principal, extended a Vote of Thanks to the honoured guest for bringing together the schools of the city for this noble cause. The results were declared, bestowing the deserving winners with certificates and trophies. The first prize was shared by Arshita Bhatia of St. Joseph’s Sr. Sec. School and Rinka of Govt. High School, Manimajra. The Second position was also a shared position,  between Myra Moudgil of St. Anne’s Convent School and Bhavya Sharma  of Guru Nanak Public School. Arshiya Talwar of Mount Carmel proclaimed the Third position and Sachkeerat Singh was awarded a Consolation prize. The worthy winners will also be officially felicitated by the Governor of Chandigarh on December 20, 2023. Each of the participating students was also rewarded a certificate to acknowledge their valuable contribution.

Ms. Monica applauded the young voices who took the stage with unwavering conviction, eloquently articulating the importance of safeguarding the rights of children across the world. She reiterated that the speeches aptly highlighted the multifaceted challenges faced by children worldwide, from deprivation of education and healthcare to the exploitation and abuse, that plague many communities. She urged all to move forward to collectively work towards creating a world where every child is valued and protected.