Students rally against bullying

Posted: March 31, 2015 7:00 p.m.

On March 31, 2,000 elementary and high school students were on campus to attend a rally in support of Red Cross Day of Pink.

Students from the Regina Public and Catholic School Divisions participated in the afternoon event aimed at raising awareness of, and preventing, bullying.

The Red Cross Day of Pink originated in 2007, when two high school students in Nova Scotia spoke out against bullying. Travis Price and David Sheppard asked their peers to wear pink to school after they heard a classmate had been bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Their act of kindness sparked a worldwide movement. To continue the momentum, the Canadian Red Cross Day of Pink campaign brings together schools and communities to wear pink shirts and stand together against bullying.

The Red Cross Bullying Prevention Program aims to reach every Saskatchewan student with bullying prevention information by the end of 2017.

This year, students heard from speakers including Saskatchewan Roughrider and Red Cross bullying prevention ambassador Dan Clark, Pink Shirt Day Co-founder Travis Price, RBC Olympian Miranda Biletski, as well as recording artists Codie Prevost and Stephen Maguire.

The Rally was held in advance of the nationally designated day which is April 1.

Hosting events such as the Red Cross Day of Pink Rally, is one way the University of Regina demonstrates commitment to our communities http://www.uregina.ca/strategic-plan – a priority in our recently-launched strategic plan.