On the 29th January, 2018 the Students’ Council and other students from St Thomas More College were invited to participate in the Universal Children’s Day activity organised by the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society in collaboration with Eurochild, entitled You Matter No Matter What.

 

This activity was part of a National campaign focusing on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC), with a special emphasis on article 12 which states that children have a right to give their opinion, and that adults must listen and take it seriously. After an animated discussion on children’s rights, resource packs including a t-shirt and paints were distributed to all schools.  On the t-shirts which will also be exhibited in Brussels, students had to write what makes them feel heard and what does not make them feel heard.

 

The 21st March, 2018 brought together schools from Malta and Gozo together to follow up on what was discussed and learnt.  The event was held at the San Anton Palace

 

Willa Naylor presented the t-shirt she has designed.  Willa said that she feels heard when people take time to value what she says.  On the other hand she does not feel heard when adults disregard her feelings just because she is a child.

 

Willa also presented the t-shirt that James Borg has prepared as he had other commitments on the day.  According to James other children’s opinions and peer pressure stop him from being heard.

 

All in all this was the perfect conclusion to a day that the students enjoyed and felt enriched at the end. The experience of joining together for a good cause, of knowing that their work would be presented overseas, that their message would be heard and the scenic, heritage background ensured that the day and its shared values would long be remembered.