WORLD CHILDREN’S DAY TAKES PLACE ANNUALLY ON NOVEMBER 20th.
Below is our program to support awareness of CHILDREN’S HUMAN RIGHTS. It is an videoed event from World Children’s Day 2025. Click this link for the viewing of: THE FUTURE SPEAKS ~ a presentation honoring WORLD CHILDREN’S DAY
A children’s human rights lesson and overview for all! A fully edited video on Youtube of presentations inspired by the Convention on the Rights of the Child is here for all to watch and share. Please pass it forward to all your communities and friends, as an ETHICAL GIFT!
— Watch, enjoy, share, and be in touch to let us know what thoughts, deeds and wonders arose for you and how you are carrying this mission forward in your own communities! TheFutureSpeaks.ChildRights@gmail.com. To fill out a survey and share your opinion, please link here.
Event Purpose: To highlight the human rights of children and youth. To honor Human Rights Day
The Future Speaks Invites educational groups of all ages to a celebration of WORLD CHILDREN’S DAY. Together, we will commemorate the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the United Nations 36 years ago on Nov. 20, 1989. This Convention is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in world history.
Questions & Comments: theFUTUREspeaks.CHILDrights@gmail.com
The program is generously long, with many diverse and valuable voices, so get some popcorn! OR… even watch a little at a time — no rush. SHARE IT! Share it on social media and with friends, communities and classes of all ages.
Presenters listed below.
Event Sponsors: National Ethical Service
NGO Committee on Children’s Rights/NY
Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture
New York Society for Ethical Culture.
This special event includes speakers, performers, poets, visual artists, of all ages bringing their voice to honor and uphold the global humanitarian language of children’s rights, in a historic venue for ethical values: Adler Hall of The New York Society for Ethical Culture.
Collectively, we can ignite our energies toward building “cultures of social justice and peace by respecting human rights at their origin in childhood” and placing “the human rights of children and young people at the center of our development and humanitarian efforts worldwide.” (quotes from website of NGO Committee on Children’s Rights/NY)
This project is funded by the National Ethical Service’s Rose Walker Grant and cosponsored also by the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights/NY, The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, and the New York Society for Ethical Culture.

Presenter List for the Future Speaks
Preshow
Project Peace Lights with music by 11 year old Nathaniel Kuo Hsu, Cellist
Hosts
Marlene Williamson & Audrey Kindred & Muriel Tillinghast, & Lindsey Price Jackson, Hosts and Representatives of Ethical Culture: NYSEC, BSEC, NES
Margaretha Jones & Thérèsé Folkes Plair, Co-chairs of NGO Committee on Children’s Rights/NY
Presenters
Moderator: Meg Gardinier, Secretary General, ChildFund Alliance
Dr. Mikiko Otani, Child Rights Connect, President
Dr. Barbara Bethea, Poetry Therapist
Barbara Bennett Woodhouse, Author, Director of Emory Child Rights Project
Richard Lewis, Children’s Poet and Teacher, Founder of Touchstone Center for Children
Betsy Grob, Author, Professor and Early Childhood Consultant
Thérèsé Folkes Plair & Laura Simms & Melissa Heckler, Global Storytellers
Fallou Wadje, Visual Arts Project
YOUTH Presentations:
Rohan Rao-Fernandez, Columbia Secondary School
Inis Chen, President of Equity Team, Little Environmentalists Society, Laguardia High School
Kiarra Dunn, Activist & Educator
Worldwide Youth Groups Contributing:
Carrie E. Tompkins Tiger Cub Chorus, led by Marlena Horton
IKIC Club (I Know I Can) with founder/director N’neka Gumbs-Rouse, and Artistic Project Director Jenea Scott from Gwinnett, Georgia
The Nyae Nyae Village Schools, Tsumkwe, Namibia, Africa.
Amani Charter School, Mt. Vernon, NY
Youth Theater with Director Feather Denise Bertrand, Jaffray, BC, Canada
