This short documentary aims to raise awareness of the urgent need to safeguard children, particularly amid global seismic and unprecedented displacement being caused by armed conflict, poverty, and increasing natural disasters. These factors are putting children even more at risk, leaving them more vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and abuse while denying them their fundamental human rights, such as access to education, healthcare, and the right to be able to play and grow free from violence. While governments struggle to resolve the issues of migration and forced displacement adequately, religious leaders of diverse traditions and faith groups, as well as like-minded child focused organizations, are joining forces and resources to respond well beyond “a prayer.” They are taking meaningful action and working together, and increasingly in an interfaith manner, to ensure that refugee and migrant children’s voices are heard.
On November 17 and 18, 2022, Arigatou International gathered global faith leaders, human rights experts and NGOs in Rome, Italy, for the World Day of Prayer and Action for Children 2022 for interfaith prayers and an international forum on the rights, dignity, and well-being of children on the move. The short documentary was produced by Arigatou International in collaboration with New York filmmaker, Jeff Oppenheim.
Watch the full documentary bellow: