Bringing International Children’s Day to San Diego!

Tis’ the season of Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day celebrations, but the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum (SDCHM) and the Gaslamp Museum (GM) think that children should be celebrated, too! SDCHM and GM are making plans to celebrate International Children’s Day on Saturday, June 4.

SDCHM will offer a number of cultural activities for children to enjoy including Chinese folk games, calligraphy, and Chinese paper cutting. Children (and their parents) are invited to join the fun at the Museum between 12:00pm and 3:00pm. SDCHM is hosting this event as part of their mission to provide educational programs and events to share Chinese and Chinese American culture with the San Diego community.

Gaslamp Museum, only a few blocks away from SDCHM (Island and 4th Avenue) will also host Children’s Day activities to tell kids about early San Diego. They can come and meet Bum, the Town Dog, from the 1890’s and hear him “talk,” telling his own story.  They can also create Bum puppets, play “olde time” games and learn about Greyfrier’s Bobby, another “talking dog” in the Park.

While not widely celebrated in the United States, International Children’s Day is a major holiday in China. Chinese schools offer children’s performances, camping trips, and free movies. Chinese people place great value on this holiday because they recognize that children play a vital role in the future of the world.

The World Conference for the Well-Being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland, proclaimed June 1 to be International Children’s Day in 1925. The day is not only about celebrating children, but also about bringing awareness to the plight of many of the world’s children.

ABOUT SDCHM

SDCHM’s mission is to create a deeper understanding of China and Chinese America through programs in education, culture and art in the belief that cross-cultural understanding strengthens our diverse San Diego community. Located in the heart of San Diego’s downtown Asian Pacific Historic District, SDCHM is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with special events, exhibitions, and programs. Over the past twenty years, SDCHM has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors, collected thousands of ethnographic artifacts, and hosted hundreds of educational programs and exhibitions. Today, SDCHM remains a platform for celebrating multiculturalism, enriching the community, and showcasing San Diego as an international cultural tourist destination.

ABOUT GQHF

It is the mission of the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation (GQHF) to preserve the architecture, culture and history of the Historic Gaslamp Quarter.  The GQHF provides San Diego residents and visitors with museum exhibits, programs and tours offered through the Davis-Horton House, the oldest residence in the Gaslamp Quarter. GQHF also hosts popular annual events including the Children’s Fall Back Festival and ShamRock.