In brief
In an event held at the Bakong Temple within the Angkor Archaeological Park, more than five thousand people joined a fun run to mark World Children’s Day, offering 3‑km and 10‑km routes along with workshops on climate action, online safety, and health. UNICEF’s Maha Damaj highlighted the need to protect children's rights worldwide, while participants urged young people to study hard and be supported by their communities.
On Sunday, the Bakong Temple in Cambodia’s Angkor Archaeological Park hosted a celebratory fun run for World Children’s Day that drew a crowd of more than five thousand participants, according to Xinhua.
The event, organized by the national authorities, government representatives, development partners, artists and local influencers, marked a milestone for children, families and the broader community, who ran along two defined routes: a 3‑kilometre course for neighbourhood “little runners” and a 10‑kilometre trail for adult volunteers and elite competitors.
While the track provided an immediate sense of accomplishment, the organizers also placed strong emphasis on education, scheduling a series of talks on topics such as children’s rights, climate action, online safety, inclusion, mental health, healthy lifestyles and civic engagement, as Xinhua reported.
UNICEF’s representative to Cambodia, Maha Damaj, used the platform to remind the audience that “every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential.” She urged speakers to prioritise children regardless of their environment – referring to city dwellers, floating‑cottage communities on the Tonle Sap Lake, or villages in post‑crisis recovery – and to place them at the centre of societal decisions and investments.
Damaj also warned that economic shocks, climate crisis, online sexual exploitation and rising mental health challenges threaten the hard‑won progress made for children over the last decades. She urged communities to create safe, healthy environments that foster creativity and protect children’s rights “under all circumstances.”
Mao Bilita, a 23‑year‑old participant noted that the run fused health advocacy with a joyful atmosphere.
I am thrilled to see children coming together at this fun run to promote children's rights.,
she said to Xinhua, calling on youth worldwide to “study hard for their futures” and ensuring that “there will always be people who listen to you, seek to understand you, and support you.”
Fellow runner Kun Sokhea, who is 24 and also had a theme of encouragement, echoed Mao’s sentiment and stressed the importance of creating environments where Cambodian children’s rights are fully honoured and protected.
To all Cambodian children, my message to you is: study hard, and always listen to the advice of your parents and teachers,
she added.
Overall, the fun run combined a physical challenge with an advocacy event dedicated to the future of Cambodia’s children, a weighted message that the festival drew from the powerful historical backdrop of a world‑heritage site while lending visibility to the everyday realities of children in the country.
Notably, the mix of participants from four distinct categories – children, families, community groups and institutional partners – lend perspective to the event’s focused campaign on human rights, alongside a substantive call to action that could influence future policy conversations in the country. Xinhua noted that the nature of the event and the multiplicity of participants across the cultural spectrum showcased how daily engagement could weave together different layers of Cambodian society in a global defence of children’s rights.
