Our Most Sacred Trust

”There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children.There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow in peace.”       ~Kofi Annan

As the the 7th Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan had many opportunities to see firsthand children living in a multitude of environments around the world. He also realized that many, if not most, of the decisions we make in the various political and social arenas ultimately impact the lives of children. One cannot help but question our ability as adult decision-makers to do the "right thing" in behalf of our children to ensure that their future is safe and secure?

"If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much."

-- Marian Wright Edelman

Marian Wright Edelman is a distinguished child rights advocate that has been a perennial voice for children for many years. She has been a strong advocate for minority children, especially African-American children. More importantly though is her recognition, as it should be everyone's, that where we stand on children's issues says a great deal about who and what we are as adults.

"It's up to each of us to help create a better world for our children."

-- Dr. Benjamin Spock

Those of us old enough to have lived, and/or grown up, during the "Dr. Spock era" remember that Dr. Spock's philosophies regarding child rearing gathered in a great number of followers, and, similarly, fostered a large cadre of scoffers and critics. However, can we as a species, as a society, as a nation, or as a world deny the validity of the quote above which is attributed to Dr. Spock?

As individuals, we frequently feel that our efforts to work toward a better, more peace-filled, world are futile, and that the vast majority of people are hellbent on destroying, rather than improving, our world. Certainly, there is more than ample evidence to support such a sense of hopelessness, but for the sake of our children, if not for ourselves, we must not give up on our efforts to make a positive difference in our homes, communities, and the world. "Carol Bellamy reminds us, "...in serving the best interests of children, we serve the best interests of all humanity."