June 1^st is the unofficial first day of summer, but it’s especially significant because it is International Children’s Day. Not surprising, this day has become special because it reminds us that the help and support children receive in their early life helps propel them toward a successful future.

June 1^st is the unofficial first day of summer, but it’s especially significant because it is International Children’s Day. Not surprising, this day has become special because it reminds us that the help and support children receive in their early life helps propel them toward a successful future.

Together with the staff, the children of ‘’Little Prince’’ social center of Armenian Caritas (Gyumri) organized an event dedicated to one of the brightest holidays. On this year’s International Children’s Day, they demonstrated their daily life and showed the services they receive at the center to the invited guests.

 Feliks Tsolakyan, the Regional Governor of Shirak Marz, congratulated the children on this beautiful holiday noting that each child should have the opportunity to invest his knowledge in the future of our country. Mr. Feliks Tsolakyan presented a painting as a souvenir to the children of Gyumri ‘’Little Prince’’ social center.

‘’Every child should live a colorful childhood full of joy like in a fairytale. But, unfortunately the reality is they very often face problems. Every child has the right to be happy and this is the problem for which all of us, the society, the state and the family should be responsible.” said Gagik Tarasyan, the executive director of Armenian Caritas, in his welcome speech. With this as their goal, Armenian Caritas’ social protection projects focus special attention on children; supporting them to become respectable individuals and good citizens. 

Armenian Caritas is one of the main NGOs that provide social services in the Shirak, Lori and Gegharkunik regions. The purpose of the social direction of the organization’s strategic plan is to promote the development and the stability of families, as well as to improve the living conditions of children and families in need.  To this end, Armenian Caritas has 8 projects for the most vulnerable group in society, that of children’s care and protection. In the framework of these projects there are 5 day care centers in Gavar, Gyumri, Tashir, and Vanadzor. Four of them are ‘’Little Prince’’ social centers and one is a center for children with disabilities. Several projects to improve the living and learning conditions of school children have occurred in the schools of Lori Marz, the rural areas of Shirak Marz and in the kindergartens in Gyumri.

If children are our future and the future of Armenia, we need to focus our attention on their issues and those of their families. This June 1^st event accomplished that objective. But the attention must not end at midnight on June 1^st. Children living in poor conditions need our kindness and protection; not just one day a year but every day, for the whole year.