It has been one year since the commencement of the Children’s Commissioner Libraries tour ‘For Every Child… Every Right’ across Northern Ireland.
Today (Monday 21st October), we turn the page onto Bangor Carnegie Library and mark the start of Book Week NI with Chris Quinn being named as an official ambassador.
Bangor marks the tenth library to host the Rights tour in partnership with Libraries NI.
On Monday, Chris delivered a fun and engaging talk for primary and post-primary participants who attended the exhibition’s opening.
‘For Every Child… Every Right’ is an important platform that allows young people to learn more about their rights and explores the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), a crucial document that states children and young people’s rights in all aspects of their lives.
The exhibition also explains how adults and the government must work together to ensure all children can enjoy their rights.
Since October last year, Chris has connected with over 390 pupils from 100 schools who have visited the exhibition in libraries across Northern Ireland, including Derry Central Library, Omagh, Newry, Enniskillen and Limavady.
Speaking at the event, Commissioner Chris Quinn expressed his unwavering dedication to the role, saying: “I am delighted to be in Bangor Carnegie Library today to mark the beginning of NICCY’s rights tour and on the same day as Book Week NI.
“The best part of my role is meeting with children, young people, their parents, carers, and educators directly to hear their views and concerns first-hand. It is reassuring that they rely on me and my team to act on their behalf to protect their rights and find solutions to their situations.
“Over the past year in this role, I have worked with many organisations and government figures to ensure that children and young people’s voices are heard. I have also been tackling issues that have arisen over my time in office, from child exploitation and the placement of children with special educational needs to poverty and racism in our community.”
Chris also addressed one of his key priorities, ensuring the rights of the child are fulfilled and protected, commenting: “Incorporating the UNCRC into NI law is a key objective for me to prevent breaches of children’s rights. The team at NICCY works hard to promote the knowledge of rights, and we utilise our powers to challenge child rights violations.”
Kim Aiken, Deputy Head of Service with Libraries NI, said: “We are honoured to have the opportunity to assist the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People in their mission to protect and promote the rights of children.
“We have been grateful to host the exhibition, and it is encouraging to hear how it has reached so many young people as it travels to libraries across Northern Ireland and has made a positive impact on those who see it.”
For information on what is included in the exhibition, visit www.niccy.org/children-and-young-people
