Thousands Take Part in 'Day of Hugs' UNICEF Campaign in Sofia

Thousands of kids and parents participated Sunday in the "Day of Hugs" organized by UNICEF Bulgaria.

The Day of Hugs is part of a campaign entitled "Silence Today Causes Cries Tomorrow"; it featured a number of happenings, shows, and competitions where kids could participate alone or with their parents.

According to Diana Vakarelska, head of UNICEF Bulgaria, the main message of the Day of Hugs is that every single day is priceless and extremely important when it comes to the upbringing of children.

"We want to show the parents that the material well-being is not the only important thing for the development of their children, it is very important to communicate with them, to stimulate their development, and to them that we love them very often," Vakarelska said at the opening.

In her words, the communicating with children in their first three years is what forms their attitude towards the world for the rest of their lives.

Many of the parents who attended the Day of Hugs events with their kids were extremely thrilled with the initiative, and called for more initiatives of that kind.