By Matters India Reporter

Kolkata: Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta on November 14 blessed 70 kids from the marginalized groups at a function to mark the Children’s Day organized by a non-governmental organization.

Diplomats and people from the cine world attended the program conducted by the Education for All at the Archbishop’s House in Kolkata. Educational kits were distributed to all the children during the program.

A group of children from Star Welfare Society, an NGO, presented the archbishop their paintings and drawings.

Archbishop D’Souza, in his address, recalled Jesus saying that one has to change and become like children to enter heaven. “Innocence, simplicity and purity are the qualities children personify and they lift our spirits,” the archbishop added.

Sundeep Bhutoria of Education for All thanked the donors who contributed for the children’s cause. “In the past 15 years, Education for All has provided assistance and scholarships to about 20,000 marginalized children and we would like to expand our reach to cover more children in the coming years,” he added.

Present on the occasion was Koel Mullick, an Indian film actress who appears in Bengali and Odia films. “This is one of the best occasions to begin my day,” she said while felicitating the donors with certificates of appreciation for their charitable act.

Pronab Dasgupta, advisor and patron of Education for All, described children as buds in a garden who “should be carefully and lovingly nurtured as they are the future of the nation and the citizens of tomorrow.”

The event was attended also by the Consul General of Italy Daimiano Francovigh, Consul General of France Damien Syed, Deputy Consul General of Germany, Jurgen Thomas Schrod, Consul, Russian Federation, Gleb Gerasimov, Director of Alliance Francaise du Bengale, Fabrice Plancona and film director Goutam Ghose.

Children from Star Welfare Society performed a medley of song and dance on the occasion and the Director of Alliance Francaise, Fabrice Plancon and actress Koel Mullick joined the little performers in a jig.

Hyatt Regency, a hotel chain, provided food packets to the children as a part of their charitable initiative.

India celebrates Children’s Day on November 14, the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister.