The Rev Mary Hawes, National Children’s Adviser in the Church of England, stresses that Year of the child 2009 is not a prescriptive project or even a centrally driven programme.
“It is simply an open invitation to the Christian church in the UK to join in by making 2009 a special year for children and young people," she said. "There are no plans for big national events, but rather to create a spotlight to help churches focus on their work with children and to explore partnerships with other churches, both locally and globally.
"We are hoping that 2009 will be a year in which the issues, injustices and challenges facing young people today can be highlighted, and for work with children and young people to be celebrated."
Updates on the activities taking place under the Church’s Year of the Child umbrella will be published periodically during 2009 and distributed to local churches.
Early next year, the Church’s official publisher – Church House Publishing – is due to release ‘Through the Eyes of a Child’, a book drawing together a range of contributions on children’s theology to help extend the legacy of the Year of the Child.
On the web: www.yearofthechild2009.co.uk
