This year marks the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and in celebration the National Human Rights Museum will launch a special "CRC 30th Anniversary Exhibition" themed "I am a child! I have rights!" to raise awareness in Taiwan about the purpose and ethos of CRC.
The exhibition has invited 16 local illustrators to transform the principles of the convention into easy-to-read graphics, which would help exhibition-goers gain an in-depth understanding of the rights that all children should be allowed to enjoy. The exhibition will open on World Children's Day on Nov. 20, 2019 and run through May 3, 2020 at the Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park.
Deputy Minister of Culture Peng Chun-heng (彭俊亨) remarked that the Ministry of Culture has consistently implemented policies for promoting equal rights and access to close the gap in cultural participation, such as the "Cultural Experience Education Project (文化體驗教育計畫)" for children. By giving children the opportunities to naturally experience art and literature, this self-guided process of exploration will exponentially enhance their appreciation and knowledge.
Adults should really put themselves in children’s shoes and listen more to their opinions and views, Peng added, referencing the "On Children (你的孩子不是你的孩子)" series produced by Taiwan's Public Television Service (PTS) and quoting poet Kahlil Gibran's "your children are not your children."
Deputy Minister of Education Fan Sun-lu (范巽綠) stressed that the Ministry of Education has integrated coverage of human rights, state violence, and transitional justice with school curriculum requirements, in addition to developing human rights resource centers and jointly preparing cross-disciplinary courses with teaching instructors. Fan encouraged this exhibition to tour school campuses in the future and advocate for human rights directly through the national education system.
Director of the National Human Rights Museum Chen Chun-hung (陳俊宏) pointed out that Taiwan society is still quite unfamiliar with implementing children's rights, thus the museum will be planning various interactive events and activities to further promote children's rights. From neglect to concern and protection, this special exhibition presents the gradual stages of advancement in the global consensus on children's rights, starting with Janusz Korczak, Poland's father of children's rights, added Chen.
Korczak was a Polish doctor, educator, and children's book author who fought for children's safety during World War II. From the evolution of children's rights on the international stage to reflections upon Taiwan's own White Terror past when many youths suffered from human rights persecution, the exhibition hopes to motivate the public to pay more attention to the rights of children.
On Nov. 23, the museum will also host a "CRC 30th Anniversary Fair" for families to learn more about children's rights. This fun family event will include art installations, interactive games, workshops, and guided tours.
‘CRC 30th Anniversary Exhibition’