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IPA World Conference 2014: Report

IPA World Conference 2014: Report images: IPA 

The 2014 IPA World Conference, which ran from May 20 to 23 in Istanbul, brought together specialists in the field of play to promote children’s right to play as a fundamental human right.

The 19th International Play Association Triennial World Conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 20 to 23. The event brought together specialists in the field of play and the child’s right to play, and provided a forum for exchange of information, experience, and developments in these fields.

The mission of the IPA World Conference is to protect and promote children’s right to play as a fundamental human right. The conference provided a platform for discussion to advance and develop issues related to the right to play, and to put them on the agenda of government organisations and institutions, NGOs, universities, and the private sector. The event welcomed the adoption of the General Comment on Article 31, “The child’s right to play.” The General Comment, commissioned by the International Play Association and published by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, provides a detailed interpretation of Article 31, which states:

That every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. That member governments shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.

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The General Comment was adopted in February 2013. At the 2014 IPA World Conference, a resolution was made to promote a better understanding of Article 31 and to encourage governments and work with them to fulfil their commitments as signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

The conference also recognised that many children live in ‘crisis situations’ and deal with significant losses, and resolved to continue supporting them through efforts to reintroduce play into their lives to enable and heal them.

The International Play Association (IPA) is an international non-governmental organisation with members and active groups in almost 50 countries worldwide. IPA’s member groups are dedicated to launching a wide range of projects to promote the child’s fundamental right to play, ranging from conferences, seminars and study tours to play programs, research, and playground design.

Related news: 

IPA Stands up for the Child’s Right to Play

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