February 22, 2024: Pink Shirt Day against bullying

Pink Shirt Day (or Anti-Bullying Day) is celebrated in Canada and around the world on the last Wednesday of February to denounce bullying, especially at school.

The initiative began in Canada in 2007, when grade 12 students bought and distributed 50 pink shirts after another student was bullied for wearing a pink shirt in Cambridge, Nova Scotia.

According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY), the majority of Canadian youth aged 12 to 17 (71%) reported experiencing at least one form of bullying in the past 12 months. Bullying can take many forms, including physical, verbal, social or relationship bullying, and cyberbullying. The most common form of bullying reported by young people was being made fun of, called names or insulted (59%), followed by being the subject of rumours spread by others (34%) and being excluded from activities (32%). (Source: Statistics Canada)

Kindness, listening, empathy and understanding can make all the difference in helping victims of harassment: together, let’s support them and denounce bullying!