THOUSANDS of schoolchildren stood up to be counted as they marched through Poole Park on Friday.

The huge event, celebrating 20 years of children’s rights, involved pupils from nearly every school in Poole.

Having congregated in the park, there were speeches, dances and songs from the empowered students.

It marked the culmination of a week entitled Stand Up and Be Counted, in which the children have learned about their rights and of those around them, in the community and across the world.

Fiona Brady, one of the event’s organisers and a teacher at St Mary’s Catholic Combined School, said: “They feel now that not only is it their right to speak out, but also that they have a responsibility to speak out if they see injustice.

“It’s very powerful that children in 22 schools have been learning about their rights.”

In total, 2,097 pupils marched to the park for the rally, chanting and waving placards and banners as they walked.

It was a celebration of the anniversary of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, ratified in 1989.

As part of their learning this week, children have engaged with the topics of bullying, poverty, diversity and inequality.

This has tied in with Anti-Bullying Week, which has been running since Monday.

Later in the day, Mid-Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke, along with local members of the Rotary Club, visited Broadstone Middle School for an assembly marking the end of the week.

St Edward’s School also ran workshops on giving children a voice.