On 20-21 September 2023, children and youths from over 50 countries attended the Children's General Assembly (CGA) 2023 in Billund, organized for the third time by CoC Playfulminds, a public-private partnership organization with Billund Municipality and the LEGO Foundation, to organize Danish creative activities promoting the rights of children and youths from around the world. This year, it is with great pleasure that 3 children and youths from Thailand were selected to participate in the said event, namely:
On this occasion, H.E. Mrs. Sirilak Niyom, Ambassador of Thailand to Denmark, attended a luncheon at the LEGO Campus, the headquarter of the LEGO Group, with executives of CoC Playfulminds and ambassadors from several countries. Afterwards, Her Excellency the Ambassador attended the opening ceremony of CGA 2023 and to greet and congratulate the 3 Thai students who were selected to represent Thailand in the Children General Assembly. This shows potential and abilities of Thai children who have come to express their visions on important global issues. They also participated in creative activities and field trips with more than 80 children from 50 countries in Billund, the Capital of Children and headquarter of LEGO, where children around the world are dreaming to visit. This is a unique opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and experiences for the Thai students to share with their friends in Thailand.
This year, 80 children and youths between the age of 10-17 from around the world were selected from their applications by the organizer. Then, selected applicants were required to participate in digital co-creation workshops via an online system during April - August 2023, which provide opportunities for children and youths to get to know each other, exchange knowledge, gather perspectives on children's rights, enhance cooperations and find ways together to solve problems in the world today, before traveling to attend the Children General Assembly in Billund in September. The CGA provided platform for children to discuss and present their perspectives on the democratic process and solutions to various global problems such as access to education or climate change by creating a joint manifesto, in which Thai children took part in. The manifesto will be further presented to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) so that the world leaders can hear views and voices of children from around the world and incorporate children's opinions into implementing policies that would affect lives in this planet.