Family Day to prevent child drowning and equip children with life skills at Thong Nhat Park, Hanoi

The Family Day for Child Drowning Prevention event is part of a series of activities in response to World Drowning Prevention Day 2023 organized by the Department of Children ( Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs ), Bloomberg Charitable Foundation (USA;) World Health Organization and Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids, USA.

Ngày hội gia đình phòng, chống đuối nước trẻ em, trang bị kỹ năng sống cho trẻ

Family Day to prevent child drowning, equipping children with life skills. (Source: Organizing Committee)

On July 22, the Family Day for Child Drowning Prevention took place at Thong Nhat Park, Hanoi , attracting the participation of many parents and children.

The festival spreads the message "Anyone is at risk of drowning, but it is completely preventable!"

At the Festival, children and parents participated in many bonding and experience activities through games: Artistic face painting; flashmob performance on the theme of water safety; interactive “Knowledge Cards”; catch-the-word game; decorating swimming floats…

In addition, parents also have the opportunity to practice drowning rescue skills with their children through the "Rescue" activity area - simulating the action of throwing a lifebuoy to save people in dangerous situations; being instructed on how to properly wear a life jacket; safe drowning rescue skills...

Through activities and games, participants gained practical knowledge about the situation of child drowning in Vietnam, the importance of equipping children with water safety skills as well as the role of families, parents and caregivers in preventing and combating drowning.

Attending the Festival with his mother, Tran Quang Tuan (13 years old, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi) said that his parents sent him to swimming lessons since he was 8 years old. Although he knows many swimming styles, Tuan has never learned water safety skills and safe drowning rescue skills. Participating in the Festival, Tuan felt very happy to gain more knowledge; participate in many interesting and useful games and especially learn more skills to throw buoys and safely save drowning friends.

Through many practical and useful activities, Director of the Department of Children Dang Hoa Nam hopes that the Festival will help parents and children gain more understanding, knowledge, and skills to prevent and avoid drowning right in their homes and communities; right in their travel and entertainment trips this summer.

The Director of the Department of Children emphasized that the lives of Vietnamese children will be protected from drowning if each family knows how to guard against children; arrange their home to be safe, friendly and free of any risk to children, especially the risk of drowning. Each child will be safe if their parents take them to swimming classes, learn safety skills to prevent drowning, or if parents become teachers, friends to guide and experience safety skills to prevent drowning with their children.

Drowning for everyone, especially children, will be prevented if everyone has the knowledge, skills, and safety reflexes against all drowning risks. A summer will be fun and meaningful if there are no child injuries or drowning accidents in the community.

World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25) falls right at the peak of summer in Vietnam, one of the countries with the highest child drowning rates in the world. Every year, drowning claims the lives of nearly 2,000 children. Although the number of children dying from drowning has been on the decline in recent years, it is still one of the top 10 causes of death for children under 16 years old.

Dr. Angela Pratt, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Vietnam, said that WHO recommends that the Vietnamese Government should focus on teaching school-age children basic swimming skills, water safety skills and safe drowning rescue skills. These are cost-effective measures that have been proven to be effective in significantly reducing the risk of drowning and saving children's lives. Safe swimming skills not only stay with children for life, but are also a way to practice healthy physical fitness.

The Family Day for Child Drowning Prevention took place over two days from July 22-23 at Thong Nhat Park, Hanoi.

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