The campaignthe campaign image

As a small group of international researchers of different humanist fields is building up a Campaign to promote the world children's cultures and its value within the frame of international organisations...but we need more time before to be ready to tell you more. Eventually, you can help us to organise it.

THE FACT
"As far as I could find out, the UNESCO program for safeguarding the tangible and intangible Heritage of Humanity does not contain any project related to children's culture.
Under the section: Intangible Heritage of Humanity: 90 representative elements I found nothing on children’s cultures or on play and toy cultures and only one link referring to children: the Kankurang, Manding Initiatory Rite, Gambia – Senegal. In this project solely the role of adults is mentioned.
Reading the Forum UNESCO Newsletters (2006-2009) I did not find any childhood, children's or toy museum. In the other topics there seems to be no reference to local children's culture. Knowing that about 50 % of the Majority World population are children and youngsters this seems to be a regrettable lacuna.
According to me it just is that these organizations and the nations that are represented in it are so adult-centred that it doesn't come up in their mind that children also are worth full participants in the building up of societies and their cultures. There is a very small counter-movement where some organizations try to give a voice to children and youngsters but with little result." (by JeanPierre Rossie - the campaign starter)

In our view children's culture is an important part of the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity.
Substantially, we firmly believe that children are active participants in creating the society and culture in which they grow up. But we also notice that and especially today the opportunities to appreciate these cultures are shrinking. As consequence, the children's cultures are in danger of disappearing – time to time preserved on a voluntary based from a few number of people across the world.
Therefore, children's culture should be rightly recognized as an integral part of the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity. However, enjoying the bright side of childhood doesn't mean that one is (should be ?) blind to the misery side of childhood.

“While sometimes suffering under poverty, sickness and oppression children are at the same time active participants in creating the society and culture in which they grow up. Therefore, children's culture should be rightly recognized as an integral part of the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity”.
by JeanPierre Rossie (link)