This weekend, the UK will mark Easter. For many Christian children who are celebrating, I would like to wish you a Happy Easter. I hope you all have a restful holiday with family and friends, and perhaps take a moment to reflect on what a little girl told us in The Big Ask:
“Every Christmas and Easter I’m going to [raise] money for my family, elderly and poor children.” – girl, aged 7.
However, this weekend is also a special time for a lot of other children, as two other festivals of major faiths are being celebrated. For Muslim children, we are midway through the Ramadan period. To you and you families, I say Ramadan Mubarak. This is a timely reminder to schools and anyone working with children during this time to consider the particular needs that children who are fasting may have.
For many Jewish children who will be celebrating Passover during this week, I want to say Chag Pesach Samech. Children have told me how important it is to have a community, and so I hope if you are celebrating Passover, it’s a moment to think about how much we all have in common, and the work we are doing to make the world a safer, better place for everyone.
And finally, for the children of another faith or none at all, this is also a special time to enjoy with family – perhaps to enjoy a chocolate egg or two, and look forward to the days getting longer and the flowers continuing to bloom.