O’Dowd Launches Anti-Bullying Week - ‘Everybody is Somebody’
Education Minister, John O'Dowd, today launched anti-bullying week - 'Everybody is Somebody' - focusing on tackling bullying motivated by difference and prejudice.
~ Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Anti-bullying week is co-ordinated each year by the NI Anti-Bullying Forum and this year the Forum organised a competition to highlight the issue of bullying. Children and young people were encouraged to submit art or creative writing entries using the theme of bullying based on difference, under the title ‘Everybody is Somebody’.
Speaking at the awards ceremony today at Titanic Belfast, Minister O’Dowd congratulated all pupils who entered the competition, in particular those being awarded prizes.
He said: “There were over 1,200 entries to this competition which shows that our young people feel strongly that bullying is an important issue. Each and every one of the entries reminds us that bullying is not, and never will be, acceptable in our schools, nor in our society as a whole.
“Bullying is damaging to individuals and to their education and I encourage schools and pupils to work together to eradicate this problem. I want children and young people to tell us how to help them. Partnerships like the Anti-Bullying Forum enable children to do this and ensure we find the best solutions to this problem.”
Pupils were asked to submit entries to this year’s competition in two categories - art and creative writing. Within the art category, young people could submit drawings, paintings, sculptures or photographs, while in the creative writing category entries could take the form of poetry, short stories, diaries, songs and drama scripts.
In conclusion, the Minister said: “This year’s launch coincides with Universal Children’s Day which means that all children and young people have a right to an identity and to be protected from bullying in our schools and in our communities.
“Bullying in school is a universal problem. Schools and pupils can work together to change this.”
