Champion of the Child (Exhibition, workshop & training programme)

Champion of the Child tells the moving and inspiring story of Janusz Korczak (1879-1942). The exhibition formed a series of panels combining artwork and information on Janusz Korczak and was created by the London Jewish Museum. A pioneer of children’s rights and a key influence on the 1979 UN Convention on Children’s Rights. Korczak devoted his life to the rights and wellbeing of children, regardless of nationality or religion. The exhibition showed how his teachings on the treatment of children continue to resonate around the world today and chart his efforts to protect children from the horrors of the Warsaw ghetto before his death in Treblinka concentration camp. The exhibition featured drawings by Itzhak Belfer, now an Israeli artist of international renown and one of the children saved by Korczak.

This was the first time the exhibition was brought to Northern Ireland. It was formally launched at the Belfast Waterfront Hall on 10 May and travelled to arts centres and other locations across Northern Ireland during six weeks in 2009. A special workshop for children exploring the UN Convention was available for schools and groups visiting the exhibition. This workshop was devised by Young at Art and Sarah FitzGibbon for delivery by the youth facilitator team of NICCY. Capacity building training in drama skills was provided to all the facilitator team. Following the exhibition and its tour around Northern Ireland, the workshop and accompanying resources continued to be used by NICCY.