It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the issue of missing children, highlighting the efforts made to find and bring them back safely, and supporting the families affected by these tragedies.
It was started in 1998 as a joint venture of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) and the US's National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
[5] Following the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz in New York City, May 25 was established as Missing Children's Day in the US by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.
[6][7] The Network has 29 member countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
[2] ICMEC coordinates the Help Bring Them Home Campaign in 29 countries, in conjunction with International Missing Children's Day, to spotlight the issue of child abduction around the world, and to suggest to parents some steps they can take to protect their children.