India: SAMMAN hosts National Children’s Parliament Conference

The SAMMAN unit of Janvikas Society, Indore, successfully hosted a dynamic three-day National Children’s Parliament Conference in Bhopal from October 1-3. 

The event brought together 78 children from seven states, offering them a platform to collaborate, exchange ideas, and strengthen their Children’s Parliament groups.

The conference opened with a keynote by Chief Guest Mr. Pankaj Srivastava, Additional Commissioner of Police, Bhopal, who emphasized the importance of child rights and encouraged the young participants to be active advocates for their communities.

Other esteemed guests included Fr. Maria Paulraj SVD, Provincial Superior of the India Central Province, Mr. Sonu Golkar, former Indian Blind Cricket Team captain, Mr. Joseph Rathinam, a renowned advocate of Neighborocracy, and Mrs. Seema Jain, Programme Manager for Gender and WASH. Mr. Amarjeet Singh, State Technical Consultant for UNICEF, also contributed valuable insights on child protection mechanisms.

Fr. Simon James, Director of SAMMAN, warmly welcomed all attendees, outlining the conference's purpose: to foster learning and solidarity among Children’s Parliament groups and lay the groundwork for a National Children’s Parliament. His message resonated with participants, inspiring them to continue their important work.

The children of Bhopal set the stage with a lively cultural program, and the three-day event featured several enriching sessions. Mr. Sanjay Lugun, Project Coordinator for Children’s Parliament, led an engaging self-introduction activity that helped build connections among the participants. Mr. Amarjeet Singh from UNICEF delivered an impactful session on child protection, focusing on preventing violence against children.

A standout moment was the interactive session with Mr. Raju Kumar, Special Correspondent for the India Press Agency, who guided the children in documenting their activities and creating news bulletins, a skill that proved highly valuable to the young attendees.

The children also engaged in group discussions to identify key issues in their communities, highlighting concerns like mobile addiction, child labor, access to education, and child rights awareness. They committed to addressing these issues through their local Children’s Parliaments.

A significant outcome of the conference was the election of 19 representatives for a Provisional National Children’s Parliament, with Ms. Jayalaxmi Aripina from Montfort Social Institute, Hyderabad, elected as convener, and Mrs. Bhavana Chauhan from SAMMAN, Bhopal, as moderator.

The elected representatives took their oath in the presence of Mrs. Jagriti Singh, former Chairperson of the State Child Welfare Commission, and Fr. Shinto Abraham, Director of the Madhya Pradesh Social Service Society.

The conference concluded with a city tour of Bhopal, allowing the children to visit landmarks such as the State Tribal Museum, Upper Lake, and Birla Temple, creating lasting memories of learning, inspiration, and a shared commitment to driving positive change in their communities.

This event exemplified the power of youth collaboration and the importance of equipping future leaders with the skills and knowledge to shape a better world.