Luanda: The President of Angola and of the African Union (AU), Joo Louren§o, advocated on Monday unrestricted solidarity with all African children, ensuring that the continental organization will persist in implementing policies and initiatives aimed at peace and harmony across Africa.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the call for solidarity came in a statement issued on June 16, the Day of the African Child. Joo Louren§o emphasized the importance of remembering the symbolism of this date, highlighting the duty of humanity to protect and nurture the young generation entrusted with the mission of perpetuating life on the planet.
Joo Louren§o noted that the day serves as a moment for reflection on the harsh realities faced by thousands of African children who suffer from violence, exploitation, and abuse. He urged every African nation to take responsibility in safeguarding and fulfilling the rights of the youngest members of society.
“The day is also a time to demand and provide quality education for our children,” stated Louren§o, recalling the tragic events of June 16, 1976. On that day, thousands of South African children protested in Johannesburg against the imposition of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction, demanding the right to learn in their mother tongue and to improve education quality.
The Day of the African Child commemorates those black children who lost their lives during the Soweto Uprising in 1976. The peaceful protest, which lasted 14 days, ended in violence, resulting in over a hundred deaths and injuries to around a thousand children and young people exercising their fundamental rights as recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In 1991, the then Organization of African Unity, now the AU, designated June 16 to honor these victims and to advocate for the protection of children across the African continent.