As part of the 20th anniversary of the signing and ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, EJE had offered a range of events during the last three months of 2009. One of these was the first Play Festival held in Palestine. It was be held in the Place of the Nativity and the Peace Centre in Bethlehem, from October 22 to 24. It was a great success with more than 200 games which were presented and over 700 hundreds participants.
Building up on this first sucess, EJE is now preparing other play festivals.
PLAY
For children, play is not just a fun activity. Research has shown that it can contribute to the healthy development of children. It helps them develop their social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills; children have the right to play.
Indeed, the Convention of Rights of the Child of the United Nations (CRC), drafted in November 1989, contains 41 articles that describe the basic rights of children (under 18 years).
Among these items (rights to express themselves and be protected against harm, access to health care, etc …), is that of play, highlighted in Article 31 below. Taking into account that the expectations of children are still growing and have less free time to play, it is clear that this law needs to be protected.
In Palestine there are a lack of play areas, reception facilities and equipment for play. Crucially, many professionals working with the children do not know many games. The first Play Festival in Palestine seeks to remedy this deficiency by discovering all sorts of games and introducing them to anyone interested in this issue.
| Article 311. States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.2. States Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.- Convention on the Right of the Child, United Nations, 1989. |
The main objective of the first play festival in Palestine is to discover the importance of play for child development but also for adults as well. It aims to raise the awareness on the vital and essential role of play for children, to discover the different games available and to understand how the games are played. (Approximately 400 games will be introduced).
In the West Bank, there are some toy libraries and some children’s’ clubs but there is still no real network that allows professionals and volunteers involved in these existing spaces to meet and share their experiences and difficulties. The Play Festival will enable professionals and volunteers to discuss, share and compare ideas about the games and toys presented during the festival.
Finally, it is an opportunity to introduce the manufacturers, associations and companies who produce the games and toys in Palestine.
THE PROGRAM
The Festival of the game lasts four days, from Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25.
- Thursday, October 22, 15h:
Opening of the Play Festival
- Friday, October 23, afternoon only:
Open house day
- Saturday, October 24:
Private Schools attendance
- Sunday, October 25:
Public Schools attendance
The event will take place mainly in Manger Square and the Peace Centre in Bethlehem.
- In Manger Square there will be various games corners: wooden games, scientists games, inflatable games and other games made by NGO’s who are partners in the event.
- Inside the Peace Centre will be the space devoted to symbolic games and rule games. There will also be a fair where all partners will be represented.
Each day will end at the Peace Centre in a panel discussion led by educators, childcare professionals, NGO leaders, etc ….
