17-year-old Josephine Kampole, a Zambian 🇿🇲 lass at 2023 Children’s General Assembly in Denmark 🇩🇰 Billund the Capital of Children

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*BILLUND THE CAPITAL OF CHILDREN*

Here is the story of a Zambian girl who conquered the Zambezi, the Sahara, and the Mountain Kilimanjaro to find her way to the Children’s General Assembly of 2023 in Billund, Denmark. You think it’s Luck?

Between September 19 and 21, 2023, participants met in the Capital of Children, Billund, Denmark to discuss, collaborate, create, and consolidate their shared perspectives and solutions to current world issues.

My Name is Josephine Kampole, I’m a 17-year-old girl from Lusaka, Zambia, who is not as important as you may think this lass ‘girl’ is. I am a Child Rights Activist (CRA) at Advocacy for Child Justice (ACJ). My line of work, funny as it may seem, involves multiple encounters of unfortunate, heartbreaking experiences and situations that my peers (fellow children) go through in their daily lives. Therefore, I spend my time engaging in means, causes and conversations that are aimed at creating a society that is supportive of Children’s Right and Welfare (CRW,).

Through, a rigorous application and screening process, I was privileged enough to have been selected to be among the 80 participants, who travelled to Billund Denmark to attend the 2023 Children’s General Assembly (CGA) and represent both my country and the Children of the World.

Folks, I bet a kwacha or two, It was an extraordinary experience, I had at the CGA as I engaged, interacted and worked with fellow children, peers with brilliant minds from various places in the world.

For some you that might not know, the Children’s General Assembly is an annual event that takes place in Billund Denmark. It’s an event that amplifies voices of children by promoting and encouraging children to voice out on issues needing solutions by helping the leaders of the world to see the ‘Mother Earth,’ through children’s eyes.

Organized by the Capital of Children, the event annually invites 80 children from all around the world to discuss and work on a manifesto that is presented before the United Nation’s General Assembly of Heads of State and Government (UNGAS.

Children engage in a series of online workshops for six months before the physical meeting is held in Billund where conclusion of the ‘Child Friendly Manifesto’ is done.

My experience at the 2023 CGA is next to none as I got to learn so many new things through the engagements that we had shared with peers. It was through this experience that I learnt the importance and the power of media and why it is a key to spreading awareness and educating people on children’s wellbeing. This event gave me an appreciation of partnership, teamwork, and collaboration for the attainment of goals that we set as a people.

As if that is not enough, I was thrilled to meet extraordinary people with whom I share the same passion for humanity as myself, and we worked together despite our diverse backgrounds.

While in Billund, I was privileged to meet the Mayor of Billund Stephanie Storbank, a member of Venstre (Liberal Party) political party, and other key stakeholder from governments across the world.

This opportunity gave an insight on how we as a people should approach children’s issues, understanding that children are always learning therefore, teaching should never stop. I believe the world can be a better place only if the children that are the future are taken care of as they grow. Providing platforms that are comfortable enough and allowing of children’s expression as their innocence is apparent.

My task now is to see to it that my government takes care of the Zambian Chilren and has them in mind when making any decision taken by duty bearers, affects Children as right holders. the most.

Billund is a town in Jutland, Denmark, with a population of 7,049, 1st January 2023), and is the second largest town in Billund Municipality, behind the municipal seat of Grindsted.

Partners behind Children’s General Assembly

Children’s General Assembly is developed by the Capital of Children Partnership, formed and qualified with local children from Billund.

Capital of Children partner group: Billund Municipality, the International School of Billund, the LEGO Foundation, CoC Playful Minds, the LEGO Group, Billund Airport, LEGO House, WOW PARK, LEGOLAND, Lalandia, the Drive Foundation, KIRKBI, AV Design, Billund Handelsforening.

The Partners behind

Embassies endorsing Children’s General Assembly

The 60+ Embassies, who endorse our initiative and have assisted us in spreading the word about Children’s General Assembly to children around the world;
Netherlands, Albania, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Georgia, Ghana, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Latvia, Nepal, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, Uruguay.

– Advocacy for Child Justice (ACJ)/ Zambian Children Young People and Women in Development (ZCYPWD), Pan African Radio 96.1FM, Zambian Developmental Media Alliance (ZADEMA).