Pink shirt day – International day against bullying

/ / Blog / February 25, 2026
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International day against bullying

Pink shirt day

The last Wednesday of February is International Day Against Bullying – Pink Shirt Day. This year, students at Savremena Primary School marked this day in a way that makes sense: through conversation, creativity, and messages they wrote themselves.

Children received white shirts and markers. The task was clear – write what you think about violence, what you want to say, what the world should hear. There were no pre-prepared phrases. No pre-assigned messages. Children wrote what they feel. “Hugs instead of fights.” “Love wins.” “Kindness is strength.” “No to violence.” Each shirt became a voice. Each message was personal. And all together they were clear – violence is not OK. Never was, never will be. The activity wasn’t just about decorating shirts. It was an opportunity to talk – about what bullying is, what it looks like, why it happens, and what we can do about it. And children talked. Openly. Without fear. Because the school created a space where it’s safe to talk about things that hurt.

The Conversation That Matters More Than the Shirt

A pink shirt is a symbol. But conversation is what remains.

During the activity, children talked about situations they’d seen, feelings they’d had, what it means to be a good friend and what it means to stand by someone going through a difficult time. They talked about how violence isn’t just physical – that words can hurt, that exclusion can be painful, that silence can be just as dangerous as a direct attack. They learned to recognize violence. Not to blame themselves when they’re victims. Not to stay silent when they see it happening to someone else. And to ask for help – from teachers, from parents, from adults they trust. This wasn’t a lecture about “how you should behave.” It was a discussion about how we function as a community. What we expect from each other. And what we won’t tolerate.

Savremena doesn’t build children who stay silent. It builds children who speak up. Who ask questions. Who know that violence isn’t normal, even when it seems like everyone around them thinks it is.

Messages That Remain

Pink Shirt Day isn’t just symbolism. It’s a reminder – to children and adults – that fighting bullying isn’t a one-day action. It’s daily work. Children grow up in a world where violence happens. At school. Online. In groups. In silence. And the only way to change that is to talk about it – loudly, clearly, and regularly. Savremena builds a culture where children know they can say “this isn’t right.” Where they know they won’t be ignored. Where they understand that kindness isn’t weakness – but a choice that requires courage. The shirts were pink. The messages were clear. But what remains is the conversation. And the commitment to keep talking – not just on the last Wednesday of February, but every day.

Because violence isn’t stopped by symbols. It’s stopped by culture. And that culture is built here – in conversation, in support, in a school that doesn’t stay silent.

 


Violeta Nincetovic author

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