Watch: Pomp and fanfare as thousands of children march through Victoria Falls to mark World Children’s Day

A CARNIVAL atmosphere engulfed Victoria Falls this morning when thousands of children who are attending the 2024 Regional World Children’s Day celebrations marched across the city amid music, dance and general jubilation.

The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services band led the procession with renditions of music that captured the cultures of each of the seven participating countries.

Although called on the last minute, the Chinotimba Primary School drum majorettes did not disappoint as they jelled with the ZPCS music and spiced the march.

Marchers took turns to showcase their dancing skills.

The procession, which is part of the main celebrations to be held at Baobab Primary School, started at the Chinotimba Long Distance Bus Rank through Chinotimba suburb, down One Way to Sinemane shops, past Old Market and Ngqondongqondo into Pioneer Road, before turning into Livingstone Way, then Park Way past the Central Business District into the venue.

Residents lined up the streets in Chinotimba suburb to catch a glimpse of the procession whose numbers kept swelling as more people joined.

Some residents could be seen brushing teeth on the road side as they could not miss the action.

Occasionally the marchers stopped at strategic points and children took to the dance floor on the streets, adding flavour to what was already a marvelous spectacle and a morning to remember.

It is indeed a blessed day for children as temperatures significantly dropped to favourable conditions during the week with the rains that fell on Thursday.

The weather was partly cloudy when the march started and it started drizzling when the procession reached the venue, making the weather perfect for a march.

The heavens smiled as the children started the march. They were handed food packs and upon getting into the city centre were given more water.

Upon reaching the venue the children were ushered to respective sitting places and Victoria Falls’ Andrea the Vocalist took to the stage to entertain his peers.

President Mnangagwa and his counterparts are expected at the venue this morning to lead the official proceedings.

More than 7 000 children from Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe are expected to gather for the official proceedings.

The Government of Zimbabwe, in partnership with Unicef are hosting the children from seven Sadc countries.

Every 20 November, the world celebrates World Children’s Day to mark the anniversary of the United Nations’ adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This years celebrations were put on 16 November to avoid disturbing schools programmes.

The day highlights the right to participation, which is one of the underpinning principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Since 2021, four countries – Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe – have come together to celebrate the Regional World Children’s Day jointly, so this year, Zimbabwe will be hosting the 2024 Regional World Children’s Day commemorations, building on the momentum created by the commemorations in Botswana in 2021, Zambia in 2022 and Namibia last year.

Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa are invited to join the commemorations making seven attending countries.

This day is dedicated to promoting, advocating, and celebrating child rights through dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children.

The theme for the day is: “Educate and skill the Africa child for posterity.”

According to the programme, each country’s Head of State or head of delegation will reflect on the Call to Action after reflections by children representatives from each nation.The children Torch of Hope will be unveiled at the event

The Heads of State will take the opportunity to renew commitment towards the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

After the proceedings and lunch a total of 570 children will be taken for a tour of the Victoria Falls Rainforest, a Unicef designated World Heritage Site and one of the Natural Wonders of the World.

This evening Vice President General (Retired) Dr Costantino Chiwenga will lead the monumental lighting of the Flame of Hope on the No Man’s Land on the Victoria Falls Bridge.

-@ncubeleon