25 May is "International Missing Children's Day," a global opportunity to raise awareness and support for missing and exploited children. It's a day that unites people from the four directions of the world, making us all part of a larger community with a common cause.
In 1983, 25 May was proclaimed "National Missing Children's Day" by the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. The proclamation followed the 1979 disappearance of Etan Patz, a six-year-old boy who went missing on his way to school in New York City. A case that deeply shocked the nation and sparked a global movement.
Founded in 1984, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has been a key player in the fight against child exploitation. Their support was instrumental in the passing of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER ALERT in Indian Country Act by the United States Congress in 2018.
NCMEC has outreach and awareness programming available to Native, Indigenous, and Tribal communities. They offer technical assistance and resources to Tribal law enforcement, families, and caregivers.
In 1989, Native Children’s Survival, in association with several non-profit organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist Peace Movement, National Congress of American Indians, and Island Records, created the music picture campaign, ALL THE MISSING CHILDREN. This collective effort, which included a series of awareness-raising events, helped generate support for the rising epidemic of missing and exploited children.
Since 2009, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, an international NGO, has promoted International Missing Children’s Day and continues to lead initiatives to raise awareness and support for missing and exploited children worldwide.
Addressing the issue of missing and exploited children requires a unified global strategy. With more communities, countries, and organizations observing Missing Children's Day every year, we are witnessing an increasing worldwide awareness and commitment to protecting vulnerable children, sowing seeds of hope for a safer future.
