of young Bermudians enjoy the Island's first Universal Children's Day celebrations.

Jesse, who appears in A Dog Of Flanders , signed autographs and spoke at a fun rally in Hamilton yesterday as part of the United Nations-inspired activities.

He told a crowd of more than 200 children and adults at a fair in Victoria Park how important it was for adults to treat their children as special and show them love.

Education Minister Milton Scott welcomed visitors to the festivities before the beginning of a six kilometre fun walk from the park to the Botanical Gardens and back.

The Family Learning Centre, which organised the activities with the Inter-Agency Committee, hopes to raise at least $25,000 from the walk.

The Gombey Dancers took to the stage after music and dance productions by local children's groups the Catholic Youth Ministry, Gina Spence Productions, United Dance Productions, the Pride Performance Team and the Miracle Temple Choir.

The fair was the culmination of five days of activities to celebrate Universal Children's Day, which included a special showing of A Dog of Flanders at the Little Theatre on Saturday and a special presentation of Treasure Island at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.

Family Learning Centre executive director Martha Dismont said yesterday: "Everyone really enjoyed it and I really do believe people thought a little bit differently about children. We hope it is the beginning of people looking at children in a better light.''