With Bullying-Free New Zealand Week coming to an end (14-18 May 2018), in a sea of pink, students and teachers throughout Sancta Maria College substituted their school uniform with pink clothing to help spread and promote the word on anti-bullying and that we all play a role to support it.
Bullying-Free New Zealand Week’s theme for this year is ‘Let’s talk about it’, making it a great opportunity for all members of our school community to talk about what bullying means to us.
So, what is Pink Shirt Day and why do we celebrate it? Pink Shirt Day began in Canada in 2007, when a bunch of students defended a kid who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt. The next day, many of his peers turned up to school and wore pink shirts, in a show of solidarity, thus, ‘Pink Shirt Day’ was created.
Pink Shirt Day aims to create workplaces, schools, and communities where all people feel safe, valued and respected, regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, ability or cultural background. It is a day to celebrate diversity, raise awareness and understanding of bullying and take action to prevent it. By wearing a pink shirt, people identify themselves as a supporter, friend, ally and it is a way of showing those who are being bullied, that there are many people around who care.
Choose kindness, be a buddy, not a bully.
Read more about Pink Shirt Day: https://www.pinkshirtday.org.nz
Sophia Iringan
