Global partners, including Mattel, The Lego Group and Hasbro, have successfully called on the United Nations to adopt an International Day of Play.
Play is a fundamental right for every child, as is the importance of play in helping children develop life-long skills. With only 30% of adults aware that play is a fundamental birth right adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 1989, there is an urgent need to put play back on the agenda.
To drive this ambition forward, a dedicated network of global organisations, play experts and, most importantly, children and youth themselves, called on UN member states to support the resolution for an International Day of Play. The UN General Assembly has now adopted 11th June as an international awareness day, and an inaugural celebration is set to take place in 2024.
“The Mattel Children’s Foundation proudly joins our global partners in championing the UN’s adoption of the International Day of Play,” commented Nancy Molenda, executive director of the Mattel Children’s Foundation. “This initiative reaffirms our belief that play is a transformative force for positive change in children’s lives, and Mattel is committed to our philanthropic initiatives to empower generations to reach their full potential and ensure all children have opportunities to play and thrive.”
The International Day of Play network of organizations is committed to driving a global play movement for children everywhere for generations to come. The work was initiated by the Lego Group and the Lego Foundation in partnership with Mattel, ADEA, Arup, BRAC, Change X, Concerned for Working Children, Eurochild, Hasbro, INGKA, International Play Association, IRC, KidZania, Nike, Inc., PEDAL, Plan International, Right To Play International, Save the Children and Sesame Workshop.
The UN International Day of Playwill create a unifying moment at local, national, and global levels to elevate the importance of play as central to children’s learning and wellbeing – ensuring time to play, space to play and support for quality play is prioritized.
Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the Lego Group said: “For more than 90 years we have championed children’s right to play, as we know that it can change lives. It strengthens family bonds and helps children develop essential skills and reach their full potential. We have hosted our own World Play Day the past two years to celebrate the importance of play. The adoption of an International Day of Play by the UN is a true testament to the power of play and the need to collectively champion and protect all children’s right to play.”
The coalition of partners of International Day of Play is celebrating that this important movement has now been ratified, recognising the true power of play at the highest political level, and invites everyone to join in celebrating the power of play on 11th June this year, and every year thereafter.
