April 2000Vol. 1, No. 2Honor los Niños on April 30
Mark April 30, 2000, as a special day to celebrate and uplift America's children. Based on the traditional observance of children's days in Latin American and other countries, Congress has taken the first steps toward recognizing the day as a national holiday to coincide with similar celebrations in countries of the Western Hemisphere.
"El DÃa de los Niños (Children's Day): Celebrating Young Americans" recognizes Latino children in particular, who are the second largest group of children in the nation according to the Census Bureau. Last year, the National Latino Children's Institute worked with 29 communities around the country to organize El DÃa de los Niños celebrations for children and their families. The range of activities promoting children's well-being included parades, book festivals, health fairs, resolutions passed by local governments, and milagros exhibits--handmade ornaments reflecting children's wishes, hopes, and dreams for the future.
The U.S. Senate has twice passed a resolution designating April 30 as "DÃa de los Niños." A resolution must be passed four times for an observation to be recognized as a national holiday.
See Thomas, a service of the Library of Congress, for a copy of the Senate Resolution, S. RES. 90 (http://thomas.loc.gov). For more information about El DÃa de los Niños, visit the website of the National Latino Children's Institute (http://www.nlci.org). Contact NLCI staff for assistance in starting an event to celebrate this day at 512-472-9971 or nlci@nlci.org.