Pink Shirt Day is held annually on the third Wednesday in February to raise awareness about bullying in schools.

The initiative began 2007 after a Grade 9 student in Cambridge, N.S. was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. Two Grade 12 students in Berwick, N.S., got wind of what happened and decided to make a point. They bought 50 pink shirts and handed them out to their classmates to wear the next day. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 now turned into an international event with the goal of getting others to stand up to bullying and violence.

In Nunavut, Education Minister Pamela Hakongak Gross will join students in a Connected North event with actress Maika Harper with students to hear HarperSA国际影视传媒檚 message about standing up against bullying and creating positive change.

"The Government of Nunavut is committed to the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles of Inuuqatigiitsiarniq (respecting others, relationships, and caring for people) and Tunnganarniq (fostering good spirit by being open, welcoming, and inclusive)," stated Matthew Illaszewicz, director of stakeholder engagement with the Department of Education in response to questions from SA国际影视传媒. "Ensuring that Nunavut schools are safe learning environments and free of bullying is central to the Department of EducationSA国际影视传媒檚 mandate.

"All students have the right to a safe learning environment that is free of bullying, discrimination, intimidation, violence, and harmful behaviour. This is best achieved by fostering inclusive, safe, caring, and supportive learning environments supported by policies and procedures to prevent and respond effectively to bullying behaviour.SA国际影视传媒�

One exercise parents can do with their children to understand the 'bystander effect' is ask your children why people stand by and watch people bully others without doing anything. Ask your children about what power they think a bystander has to stop bullying and explain that they have much more power as a bystander than they think. Also explain that by doing nothing, they are helping to create an audience for the bully, which perpetuates the behaviour. It is, in fact, supporting the bullying behaviour.

Choosing to do something can take the form of walking away, making a joke to change the focus in the conversation, talking to an adult, or simply telling the bully to stop. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 also an idea to advise children to try and speak to the child being targeted later.

Most importantly, explain to children that actions have impact, and they are able to take their own bold stance against bullying by realizing everyone, everyday makes choices about how they treat other people.