What?

The world’s largest international children’s celebration?Like “Olympics” of children’s creativity and imagination? Adults can participate too! Even preschoolers and seniors. Dazzling performances by children’s troupes. A drumming circle by parents’ group. Age appropriate workshops and activities by famous artists and Olympians. Art therapy and digital technology. DNA and science. Math and music. Architecture and engineering. Animation and design.On The National Mall in Washington DC on June 17-19, 2011. Absolutely free and open to all!

Why?

To address the most serious challenges that children face.
1) “The potential consequences are sweeping. The necessity of human ingenuity is undisputed. A recent IBM poll of 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the No.1 ‘leadership competency’ of the future… It’s left to the luck of the draw who becomes creative: there’s no concerted effort to nurture the creativity of all children.” -Newsweek magazine “The Creativity Crisis” (July 10, 2010)
2) “We’ve all heard the statistics: how one in three children in the country are either overweight or obese… We are spending almost $150 billion every year to treat obesity-related conditions. And we know that if we don’t act now, those costs will keep rising.” -First lady Michelle Obama, The Washington Post (August 2, 2010)
3) “Violence against children happens everywhere, in every country and society and across all social groups. Although the consequences may vary according to the nature and severity of the violence inflicted, the short-and long-term repercussions for children are very often grave and damaging.” -United Nations Secretary General’s Study (2006)

How?
1) The festival is the culmination of the Arts Olympiad, the world’s largest and most prestigious creative education program for children which commenced late last year in classrooms across the globe
2) The festival honors the Arts Olympiad winners and they introduce festival attendees to the “artist-athlete” ideal of a creative mind and healthy body (children asked to visualize and paint their favorite sport can bestir themselves to engage in that activity more frequently)
3) The festival’s educational programming is based on ICAF’s Peace through Art Methodology described in Britain’s leading medical journal The Lancet (“Development of children’s creativity to foster peace,” Vol. 368, December 2006)

2011 festival schedule

• The 4thWorld Children’s festival will open at 10:00 am on Friday, June 17, 2011 at 4thStreet NW of The National Mall on June 17-19, 2011, followed by an array of performances, workshops, and activities to chose from between 10:30 am and 5:00 pm every day
• • On June 18thand 19ththe festival will open at 10:00 am and will be followed by an array of performances, workshops, and activities until 5:00 pm
• The festival’s educational programming is based on STEAMS education (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, and sport) for children’s holistic development
• The daily themes of the 3-day festival are:Environment + Health Day(Friday, June 17)instruction is informational, spotlighting common concerns shared by childrenCreativity + Imagination Day(Saturday, June 18)learning is participatory, kindling children’s inherent talents and potentialPeace + Leadership Day(Sunday, June 19)training is inspirational, urging children to build creative and healthy communities.
• For festival updates, visit www.WorldChildrensFestival.org

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For detail information