World Day of Prayer and Action for Children 2023 

We, the children of India gathered for the World Day of Prayer and Action for Children 2023 in Mumbai along with over 700 of our friends to pray and discuss actions for ending violence against children. We would like to present this before you on behalf of the children of India and the World.  

We, children, are deeply saddened at the thought of our friends, fellow boys, and girls suffering in war-struck nations. War is an incurable disease, and a scar on any country’s face. Wars don’t prove who is right, but only who is left behind.  

You are interested in proving your point through war, have you ever thought of the plight of the people, of the children who suffer because of you? Their pain, their deaths, the violent acts that the children see around them. Innocent children losing their parents, displaced from their homes, and losing out on education. When will they ever recover from all this trauma? Whatever it is you adults are fighting for, do you think it is worth all this destruction? Once seen children always remember… so we ask, can’t you see this from our point of view?

The basis of any healthy relationship is trust. We are of a strong belief that, if there is trust especially between nations peace comes naturally. Nobody can win wars, but anybody can win peace. 

Are you hurt by hurting people??? 

And when you say you fight for your country, you are demolishing your own country? With wars comes great damage, especially to the vulnerable, including us. It undoubtedly leaves a profound impact on our education, healthcare, safety, and nutrition eventually leaving us behind with nothing but an ever-lasting negative impact on our lives and minds. 

We should be given an environment where we can be able to see our country flourishing and not getting destroyed in war, every country deserves this. 

Our lives are in the hands of you, leaders. Through this letter, we appeal to you to stop war and make us Children a priority. Stop this damage, this pain, this struggle as we do not want to be victims of the aftermath of your decisions. We deserve to be in a peaceful society where our rights are safeguarded by you, the adults. 

We hope this small letter changes your way of thinking and you respond to our call for help. 

Signatories  

D. K. Ananya,                                                                            Chinmayan R S 

11 years                                                                                               11 years 

Child Representative                                                        Child Representative 

WDPAC 2023                                                                               WDPAC 2023 

Over Seven hundred children who gathered from different parts of India at the Children’s huddle and the Children led interfaith prayer at Mani Bhavan as part of World Day of Prayer and Action for Children 2023 in India