
World Children’s Day, observed annually on 20 November, serves as a global reminder of the importance of protecting children’s rights, amplifying their voices, and ensuring a brighter future for every child. Established by UNICEF, this global day of action commemorates the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and brings together researchers, policymakers, educators, healthcare professionals, and communities to advocate for the well-being and rights of children worldwide. Guided by this year’s theme, “My Day. My Rights. My Future.”, the campaign emphasises the importance of listening to children, recognising their perspectives, and empowering them to shape the future they deserve. It highlights the need for collective action to address challenges such as conflict, climate change, and inequality, while ensuring that children's rights remain a global priority.
As part of this global initiative, we are pleased to present our World Children’s Day webinar, bringing together experts to share insights, exchange knowledge, and explore current developments in children's rights, health, and well-being. Through informed discussions and evidence-based perspectives, this webinar aims to foster greater understanding of the challenges facing children today and encourage meaningful conversations that can contribute to a safer, healthier, and more equitable future. Join us as we mark World Children’s Day and work towards a world where every child is heard, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Date: 20 November 2026
Time: 13:00 CET | 07:00 EST
Webinar ID: 896 9023 6063
Unit of Pediatrics, University Hospital G.Rodolico, Catania, Italy ;Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine University of Catania, Italy;Agata Polizzi is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Catania, Italy, and a pediatrician and pediatric neurologist. Her clinical and research interests focus on rare neurological diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders and childhood disabilities. She conducted her PhD research at the University of Oxford, UK, and has extensive experience in clinical research, national rare disease registries and multidisciplinary care. She previously served as a researcher and scientific consultant at the Italian National Institute of Health, focusing on rare diseases. Her current work also encompasses integrated, person-centered approaches to pediatric care, addressing children's medical, psychological, educational, and social needs.
Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy;Dr. Lucia Giannini is an Italian orthodontist with an academic, clinical, and scientific background in the field of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry. She graduated with honors in Dentistry from the University of Milan in 2008 and later completed her specialization in Orthodontics at the same institution, again with highest honors. Since 2011, she has also served several times as a Contract Professor in the School of Specialization in Orthodontics at the University of Milan. In addition, her professional qualifications have been officially recognized in Switzerland, where she has been practicing as an orthodontist. Throughout her career, Dr. Giannini has worked as a freelance specialist in orthodontics and pediatric dentistry, focusing exclusively on this discipline. She has extensive experience in the treatment of children and adolescents, including interceptive, functional and orthopedic treatment, and with adults in pre-prosthetic and surgical orthodontics. She currently collaborates with several dental practices and multidisciplinary medical centers across Northern Italy and works in Switzerland. She is the Head of Orthodontics at Policlinico San Marco and is actively involved in professional institutions, including the Milan Medical and Dental Council, where she serves as Secretary Councilor and participates in several commissions related to equal opportunities, professional issues, welfare relations and healthy lifestyles. Dr. Giannini has made a significant contribution to orthodontic research and scientific publishing. She is a co-author of several orthodontic textbooks and has authored around 200 national publications, posters, and conference presentations, as well as more than 110 international indexed articles.
KU Leuven, Belgium, and Erasmus MC Rotterdam, the Netherlands ;The research of K Allegaert) is focused on perinatal and pediatric clinical pharmacology and its co-variates (maturational, non-maturational, pharmacogenetics, disease-related), with the subsequent use of vivo datasets to develop prediction models. Supported by an FWO senior clinical research grant (2008–2015) and an IWT-SBO grant (SAFEPEDRUG, 130033), he reported on about 25 studies as co-principal investigator, describing pharmacokinetics of antibiotics (amikacin, vancomycin, cefazolin) or excipients (propylene glycol) in neonates, and analgo-sedatives in neonates and pregnant women. During his subsequent stay (2016-10/19) at Erasmus MC (80%, KUL 20%), he remained active, contributing to the RAIN study (oral antibiotics in neonates, co-promotor, ZONNW), the CODINOS trial (nitric oxide to sildenafil in diaphragmatic hernia, co-promotor, internal competitive funding) and the CRUCIAL trial (cerebral + cardiac protection, allopurinol in neonatal congenital heart surgery, co-applicant, ZONNW).
Professor Emeritus in the Division of Community Health Sciences at the School of Public Health in the University of Illinois Chicago;David L. DuBois, PhD, is a professor emeritus in the Division of Community Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, where he served for several years as Associate Dean for Research and Coordinator of the Faculty Mentoring Program in the School of Public Health and as an Associate Director of the Institute for Health Policy and Research. Dr. DuBois received his doctorate in clinical-community psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is lead author of widely cited meta-analyses of evaluations of youth mentoring program effectiveness and is lead or co-lead of several randomized controlled evaluations of youth mentoring programs and practices. He is lead co-editor of the award-winning Handbook of Youth Mentoring (Sage Publications, 2nd edition) and has served as chair of the Research Board for the National Mentoring Resource Center and the Research Advisory Council of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of America. He is also a former Big Brother in the BBBS program.