BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- On Nov. 20 in Uganda, still early in the morning, Xinhua journalist Tian Ye drove some 400 km to see Denis Opaka, a 14 year-old boy who lost his parents amid the flames of war and now struggling to sustain the family with his little brother and sister in a remote village.

There are many stories as sad as Opaka's but, without the pens and cameras of the media, bumping hundreds of miles along rough roads, their bitterness and aspirations would not be seen by the outside world.

On this day, Universal Children's Day, journalists worldwide are telling such stories, for on this day, it's the children that matter most.

    IT'S KIDS'HOLIDAY TODAY

On this special day, in its early morning, the hearts of the world are beating in time with the pulses of children.

It's the third time Opaka and his siblings met Tian Ye. Circling around their big brother, they were laughing and jumping, little hands holding the gifts.

Knowing these kids would move into a new house built with cement walls and sheet-iron roof, which was financed by a philanthropic agency, was now under construction, Tian Ye smiled.

"Do you know today is Universal Children's Day?" Tian Ye asked.

Looking puzzled, Opaka murmured: "All kids will have gifts?", yet staring afar with his twinkling eyes.

The camera may be one of the most important inventions of human civilization, for it can faithfully record and replay our undertakings.

Through cameras, we can see in an elementary school in Togo, a western African nation, kids are singing and dancing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We can hear graceful music performed in concert themed "Keeping children away from violence" at the music hall of Russia's Gnesin Institute of Music in Moscow, whose entire income will be donated to a local orphanage.

We can enjoy cakes with Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of the Japanese prime minister, as well as with kids from many parts of the world, rejoicing in the 20th birthday of that important document for children.

These recorded videos or soundtracks may have different characters and contents, but they are identical in nature and purpose. Perhaps Miyuki Hatoyama said it best: "Many of our kids are suffering or dead due to sickness, hunger or shortage of drinking water. It's the adults' responsibility to end their bitterness."

FOCUS ON CHILDREN, MEDIA ACT TOGETHER

Today, the topic of children unites the global media.

Breathing fresh air in the Paris morning, readers of the Europe Times are digesting the papers' special edition on Universal Children's Day.

Similar efforts could also be found in Uruguay and Panama, where the rights and welfare of children are passionately advocated.

Identical passions are also radiating in Quator in the Pursian Gulf. Ahmed Sheikh, Chief Editor of Al Jazeera Broadcast, said: "There is no problem with media cooperation when it comes to the issue of children."

Yemeni National TV Station chose to spotlight the scenes of shattered school houses and bombed homes. Director of the TV station Hussein Bartholin is a strong supporter, saying he would do whatever he could as long as it was for the kids.

His willingness to sacrifice for children can speak for that ofso many others, whether it's the story of some young journalists' courage committed to information collecting in truceless areas or an editor's late night efforts to complete the reports of Universal Children's Day.

Altogether, there are more than 800 media institutions joining Xinhua, which co-initiated the 24-hour live coverage, touching almost every aspect of the children's lives through video clips, photos and text.

With the joined hands of these individuals and institutions, the power of media has been injected into the engine of pulling children out of the quagmire of poverty, wars and diseases. And when they are back on track, they can steer the ship of future human endeavor.

LOVE OF THE WORLD

The icy cold of children's sufferings won't be warmed by the flames of media alone. Total eradication of these ills needs to be assisted by the love of the world, and the media serves as pump, sending loving care to all parts of the globe.

When Dominic, a French traveler, was applying for his tourist visa in China's embassy in France, he could watch programs featuring Universal Children's Day produced by Xinhua. He said: "These kids' stories are quite moving, and I would like to repeat them to my friends."

Such emotions among ordinary people are also found in people with heavier influence: Ann M. Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director, said at her institution's headquarter in New York that their most solemn responsibility was to center on the rights of children. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wrote: "Children are our future. We should work hard for the health, education and equality for every kid on the surface of the earth."

Love and care will accumulate on this special day and will be maintained into the future, while apathy towards kids' problems and mistreatment will not again claim the upper hand. For the fighters for children's rights, who have never been in short supply, will not rest.

Special report: Global News Day for Children 

Official Website of Global News Day for Children