Last Sunday of May
Children’s Day

Last Sunday of May – Children’s Day (Hungary)

In Hungary, the idea of Children’s Day dates back to the early 20th century, initiated by the National Child Protection League. While it was not observed every year at first, by 1909, the League’s president, Count Lipót Edelsheim-Gyulai, noted in a speech that 46 towns participated in 1906, 612 in 1907, and 2,262 in 1908.

During the 1920s, it became more common to designate a day in May or June as Children’s Day. From 1931 to 1943, a full week—usually in the first half of May—was dedicated to children and called the National Children’s Week (Nemzeti Gyermekhét). It was not held in 1944.

In the post-war years, Children’s Week was organised in various months: in June 1945, February 1946, and from 4 May in 1947. In 1948, under the influence of the Communist Party, the National Democratic Association of Hungarian Women (MNDSZ) held a nationwide Children’s Week between 20 and 27 June.

At its Moscow session in November 1948, the Women’s International Democratic Federation declared that in all countries where it had member organisations, a Children's Day should be held annually in June. The decision stated that this day should reflect each country’s political and economic context while serving the interests of children. In countries under imperialist influence, the day would focus on the fight against child exploitation, improving health care and access to education. Soviet women were cited as an example in fostering true patriotism and a love of peaceful, constructive work.

In accordance with this decision, Hungary observed International Children’s Day on the first Sunday of June from 1950 to 1953. Since then, the celebration has been held on the last Sunday of May each year.