Pink is spreading.
Today, more than 20,000 people throughout Saskatchewan will don pink t-shirts and participate in anti-bullying events such as school assemblies, marches, parades and flashmobs.
The Red Cross Day of Pink builds on the momentum created by two teenagers from Nova Scotia who encouraged their classmates in 2007 to wear pink to school in solidarity with a male student who had been bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Hundreds of them did.
Since then, the day has become an international phenomenon as more and more people turn out to raise awareness of and bring an end to bullying, discrimination and homophobia.
The City of Yorkton first officially declared Pink Day in town in 2011 as they did again this year at Monday's regular council meeting.
The request for the designation was made my Melanie Horton representing the local chapter of the Canadian Red Cross.
"For over 25 years the Red Cross has worked closely with schools and communities to create safer environments for all youth," Horton said. "Education is the key to the prevention of bullying behaviour. Red Cross programs teach youth and adults how to recognize, respond to and prevent bullying situations."
The anti-bullying movement got another big boost this year. On February 20, the Saskatchewan Roughriders formally joined with the Canadian Red Cross to create safe and respectful school environments in Saskatchewan.
-YTW Staff
.JPG;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
