The Order of the Smile (Polish: Order Uśmiechu) is an international award that children give to adults to honor them in their "love, care and aid" for children. This is the only award that exists in the world which is granted exclusively by kids. The children also nominate all of the candidates for the award. The Order of the Smile was established 50 years ago by a Polish magazine called Kurier Polski and was was officially recognized in 1979 by the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Traditionally, recipients of the award have to drink a glass of lemon juice while smiling throughout the ceremony.
The design for the Order of the Smile award was chosen through the children's television show, Jacek i Agatka. The show held a competition and asked children to submit a design for the Order of the Smile. 45,000 designs were submitted, and the chosen one was created by Ewa Chrobak, a nine-year-old girl from Glucholazy. She made the logo by using a plate for a template, and drew a smiling sun in the middle.
There is also a museum dedicated to the Order of the Smile, in Rabka, Poland. The museum is located in a family park known as "Rabkoland." If I ever get the chance to visit Poland, The Museum of the Order of the Smile will surely be a place that I'll check out.
