What is World Food Day? 

World Food Day is annually held on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the United Nations' (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The annual event aims to raise awareness for global hunger, and calls attention to other food-related issues such as supply chain and production issues, and the quality of conditions for livestock.

Background

Established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the Unired Nations in 1945, the annual event was not officially enshrined as a world holiday until 1979. After being brought to the Food and Agricultural Organisation conference and voted in, over 150 countries began celebrating this event each year. 

The FAO aims to raise levels of nutrition across the globe, improve agricultural productivity at all levels, enhance the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world economy. It also provides assistance to countries changing their agricultural policy, to aid regions out of famine situations, to help implement appropriate technology and facilitate a neutral environment to discuss issues around food production.

"Water is life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind"
This years theme will encourage people to consider the vital importance of clean, sanitary water and the thousands of people who do not have access to safe drinking water.

When is World Food Day? 

Monday, 16 October 

Activities:

• Start a conversation about water safety and how to be water smart at school and at home
• Create a Recycling water bucket for the service to collect rain water to water the gardens, or fruit and veggie patches.
• Read the book "Water is Life, water is food" to explore the the importance of water for food and for our nature. The book also explores global challenges such as a growing population, global warming and an increase in the production of goods and services threatening our water supply. 
• Encourage the children to get involved in planting their own props in a vegetable and herb garden
• Start a conversation about food poverty and global hunger

What is International Day of the Girl?

International Day of the Girl Child day is to attract attention to support more opportunity for girls and increases awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender. This inequality includes areas such as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, and protection from discrimination, violence against women and forced child marriage. The celebration of the day also "reflects the successful emergence of girls and young women as a distinct cohort in development policy, programming, campaigning and research.

The Day of Girls helps raise awareness not only of the issues that girls face, but also of what is likely to happen when those problems are solved. For example, educating girls helps reduce the rate of child marriage, disease and helps strengthen the economy by helping girls have access to higher paying jobs.

When is International Day of the Girl?

Wednesday, 11 October

Activities and how to get involved

• Learn about the amazing women in Australia and around the world
• Raise awareness in the community
• Start a conversation about gender equality 

What is World Cerebral Palsy?

World Cerebral Palsy Day is a movement of people with cerebral palsy and their families, and the organisations that support them, in more than 75 countries. Our vision is to ensure that children and adults with cerebral palsy (CP) have the same rights, access and opportunities as anyone else in our society.

When is World Cerebral Palsy?

Friday, 6 October

Activities:

• Inviting the children to come dresses in green
• Decorating your centre green
• On Tuesday, 6 October at 1pm (in your time zone) get active for 30 minutes of physical activity.
• • Creating an outdoor ostacle - Run, cycle, RaceRun certain distance or for a period of time
  • Inviting and teaching the childrent to play a game of boccia
  • Play a game of cricket, soccer, t-ball or baseball
  • Get outside and do some gardening

Click the following link to download useful resources, posters and banners: https://worldcpday.org/resources/

Please Note: Walk to Work Day 2020 has been postponed due to COVID-19 to Friday 1 September 2023

What is Walk to Work Day?

Walk to Work Day, on Friday 1 September 2023, helps employers and employees build regular walking into their daily routine and, at the same time, support a worthwhile cause. This year, the event continues to support Diabetes Australia.

Diabetes Australia Walk to Work Day promotes regular walking as a healthy activity and that will help people reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes (better physical, mental and social health) and raise funds for Diabetes Australia.

It's easy to get involved!

Just follow these 2 simple steps to support the campaign:

1. Get walking! Walk as much as you can on Walk to Work Day – Friday 3 September 2021.
   If you can't walk all the way, use public transport and get off the bus, train, tram or ferry a few stops earlier and walk the rest of the way to work or take a half-hour walk at lunchtime.
   Walk in a group or individually – all walking helps support this important message.
2. Spread the word! Ask your family, friends and work colleagues to do the same.

PUT YOUR FEET FIRST AND MAKE WALKING WORK FOR YOU!

When is Walk to Work Day?

Friday, 1 September 

What is International Space Week?

International Space Week is the largest space event on Earth and an ideal time for educators to use space-based activities to excite students about science and technology. The theme for World Space Week 2023, “Space and Entrepreneurship”, recognizes the growing significance of the commercial space industry in space, and the increasing opportunities for space entrepreneurship and new benefits of space developed by space entrepreneurs. 

When is International Space Week?

Sunday, 4 October and ends on Saturday, 10 October

Activities:

• Discussing and learning about space, planet names and what planet we live on
• Asking parents and the community to drop off recycling items to be used to bottle rockets to send off into orbit
• What does an alien look like to you – with some loose parts and a tub of playdough your children can create their perfect aliens themselves?
• Makle a planet mask (see here)
• Class project - make your own galaxy
• Set out a painting area to encourage childre to paint the sun, moon and stars and hang around their galaxy
• Make telescopes with painted and decorated cardboard rolls
• Make stretchy galaxy slime (see here)
• Children creating their own stained glass earth suncatchers
• Children making balloon straw rocket

Enjoy your space activities!