On March 30, the National Institute of Social Defence in collaboration with Childline India Foundation and the department of sociology, Calcutta University (CU), organised a one-day seminar on 'national initiative for child rights and child protection' at the Seminar Hall, CU, Alipore Campus. Attended mostly by sociologists and students of sociology, this was the first ever seminar on child rights in eastern India. The speakers, including Achintya Bhattacharya, secretary, City Level Programme of Action, Dr Bula Bhadra, head, department of sociology, CU, Subhas Chakraborty, city coordinator, Kolkata Childline, Prof. Bijli Malik, assistant director, Institute of Psychological and Educational Research, and others, discussed issues like child abuse, child rights and child protection and the social, psychological and legal aspects of these. Chakraborty spoke about the 24-hour helpline (number 1098) that Childline has started for children in need of care and protection.

MUMBAI
School concert

Like every year, this year too our school organised an annual concert. Held on March 17, the programme started around 6.30 pm with Saraswati Vandana. Our principal gave a welcome speech and announced the overall achievements of the students of the school throughout the past year. Soon, the cultural programmes started with Hindi, English and even Bengali songs. We also staged a Sanskrit play ' a small piece from the Mahabharata. Among the colourful dance performances from different regions of India, the bamboo dance and the Bhangra proved to be great hits with the audience. The programme I took part in was right at the end. Called the Grand Finale, it conveyed the message of world peace.

Sirsho Banerjee, Class VII, Thakur Public School, Mumbai

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