International Children's Day, also known as Children's Day, is celebrated on June 1st every year. In order to mourn the Lidice massacre on June 10, 1942 and all children who died in the war around the world, oppose the killing and poisoning of children, and safeguard children's rights.
In November 1949, the International Democratic Women's Federation held a council meeting in Moscow, where representatives from China and other countries angrily exposed the crimes of imperialist elements and reactionary forces in killing and poisoning children. The meeting decided to designate June 1st as International Children's Day every year. It is a festival established to safeguard the rights of children around the world to survival, healthcare, education, and upbringing, to improve their lives, and to oppose child abuse and poisoning. Many countries around the world have designated June 1st as a children's holiday.

The Origin of Festivals
The establishment of International Children's Day is related to a massacre that occurred during World War II - the Lidice massacre. On June 10, 1942, German fascists shot and killed more than 140 male citizens over the age of 16 and all infants in the Czech village of Lidice, and transported women and 90 children to concentration camps. The houses and buildings in the village were all burned down, and a decent village was destroyed by German fascism. After the end of World War II, economies around the world were in recession, and thousands of workers were unemployed, living a life of hunger and cold. The situation of children is even worse, with some contracting infectious diseases and dying in batches; Some are forced to work as child laborers, endure torture, and their lives and livelihoods are not guaranteed. In order to mourn the Lidice tragedy and all children who died in war around the world, oppose the killing and poisoning of children, and protect children's rights, the International Democratic Women's Federation held a council meeting in Moscow in November 1949. Representatives from various countries angrily exposed the crimes of imperialists and reactionary forces who killed and poisoned children. In order to safeguard the rights to survival, healthcare, and education of children around the world, and to improve their lives, the conference decided to designate June 1st as International Children's Day every year. Many countries at that time expressed their agreement, especially socialist countries.
Many countries in the world have designated June 1st as a children's holiday, especially in socialist countries. In European and American countries, the dates of Children's Day vary and there are often few public celebrations. Therefore, some people misunderstand that only socialist countries designate June 1st as International Children's Day.
In order to safeguard the rights of children worldwide, in November 1949, the International Democratic Women's Federation held an executive committee meeting in Moscow and decided to designate June 1st as International Children's Day. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the State Council of the Central People's Government stipulated on December 23, 1949, to unify China's Children's Day with International Children's Day.
Chinese festivals
Historical development
Children's Day in Old China
Childhood in the smoke of gunpowder is inevitably painful and angry, but the suffering of childhood also has brightness and enthusiasm. The establishment of the Chinese Anti Japanese Children's League gave children in the mountains their own festival - Children's Day, but it was on April 4th at that time.
During the War of Resistance Against Japan, there were hundreds of thousands of anti Japanese children's league members in the Jin Cha Ji border area of China, including the famous anti Japanese hero Wang Erxiao, the martyr Dong Cunrui during the Liberation War, and many more children's league members who experienced the magnificent New Democratic Revolution and became the backbone of building socialism.
The old children's league member recalled that on Children's Day, as long as the Japanese did not come to "sweep", the county and district would organize activities and hold meetings. Sometimes singing competitions are held, sometimes drills are organized, and children's groups from several villages are still competing to see who sings well, practices neatly, and wins with prizes, usually pencils, etc.
Military training is also an important part of the children's team to improve their ability to deal with enemies. The border area organized summer camps and gathered the backbone of the children's group for training in the deep mountains. They learned how to shoot, assassinate, bury landmines, and also conducted training exercises such as air defense and fire prevention.
In order to improve their ability to resist "sweeping", the children's group also organized the "Charge Month" activity, gathering children together every night, living together, and conducting emergency gatherings in the middle of the night to pack backpacks and run through the forest.
Children's Day after the establishment of the People's Republic of China
Since 1949, the People's Republic of China has officially designated June 1st as International Children's Day every year. Schools usually organize relevant collective activities for this purpose, and require students to dress formally (white shirts and blue pants before popularizing school uniforms). Although Hong Kong is a part of the Republic, under the folk convention, the date of Hong Kong Children's Day is the same as that of Taiwan, China's Children's Day, that is, April 4. The ways of folk celebration are often to give toys and gifts to children, or to accompany them out for a big meal or play.
First Celebration
The first International Children's Day in New China
On June 1, 1950, the young people of New China celebrated the first International Children's Day.
Children are the future of our country. However, before liberation, the children of the vast laboring people were deprived of the right to education and the joy of childhood. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Party and the government attached great importance to the healthy growth of children. Despite the insufficient material conditions and numerous difficulties in the early days of liberation, the Party Central Committee still attached great importance to the comprehensive development of children. In November 1949, the International Democratic Women's Federation Council decided to designate June 1st as International Children's Day. The newly established Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China has decided to designate this day as a holiday for Chinese children. The Party Central Committee attaches great importance to the first Children's Day in New China. In order to prepare for the celebration of International Children's Day and respond to the appeal for "safeguarding children's rights and striving for peace" issued by the Women's Democratic Federation and other organizations, 11 people's organizations and relevant departments of the central people's government in China have specially formed a preparatory committee. Mao Zedong wrote the inscription: 'Celebrating Children's Day'. Commander in Chief Zhu De earnestly hoped that "the children of New China should love their motherland, science, and labor, and be prepared to build New China well." Party and state leaders such as Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Song Qingling, and Deng Yingchao also wrote inscriptions for the children.
On this day, 5000 children gathered at the Zhongshan Park Music Hall in Beijing to celebrate their festival. Children and mothers from countries such as the Soviet Union and North Korea were also invited to attend the party. Commander Zhu is very concerned about the healthy growth of children. He said, "Although you are still young, you should work hard to learn, acquire various scientific knowledge, and exercise your bodies to become strong. You should be prepared to participate in the work of building a new China and turn the poor and backward China into a strong industrial base with high culture
On this day, children from all over the country also held celebration activities. Since then, every June 1st, various forms of activities are organized across the country to celebrate the festival for children. The Party and the government are very concerned about the healthy growth of children and have created a good environment for their lives and studies. Children in New China grow up strong under the sunshine of the Party.