Canadian children’s author Peter H. Reynolds loves inspiring his readers to be better people, so when he was asked to speak on a national broadcast for Pink Shirt Day, it was easy to say yes.
The Toronto-born Reynolds is one of two special guests who will speak as part of Pink Shirt Day Canada’s national broadcast on Feb. 22. The 40-minute shows will be broadcast to school across the country, where hosts and guests will talk to students about the importance of being kind.
“It is great to connect the dots with my fellow Canadians,” Reynolds said in a short video released prior to Pink Shirt Day.
“I am thrilled to say that I will be on the Pink Shirt Day Canada Show to talk about my work.”
Reynolds said his stories are about creativity, courage, passion, and kindness. It’s that last quality he wants to focus on during his Pink Shirt Day broadcast, and if previous years are any indication, he’ll have a large audience listening.
In 2022, the Pink Shirt Day Canada broadcast reached more than 10,000 students in more than 500 classrooms. The list includes both elementary and high schools across Canada.
In Prince Albert, most Pink Shirt Day events were held on Feb. 15, since the February break runs from Feb. 20-24.
Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division promoted Pink Shirt Day with their student-created theme ‘Raise Your Voice’. The division posted a statement on their website urging students to help create a positive and inclusive culture in Prince Albert schools.
“Not only today, but every day, we should all be kind, say no to bullying, and raise our voices to support each other,” the statement reads.
Since 2008, Canadian anti-bullying programs have received more than $2.5 million in funding thanks to Pink Shirt Day merchandise sales and donations. In 2020 alone, Pink Shirt Day funding supported programs for more than 59,000 youth.
Pink Shirt Day began with a small act of kindness in Nova Scotia in 2007. Since then, Pink Shirt Day events have spread to more than 110 countries, and more than 493,000 Pink Shirt Day shirts have been sold.
@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca
