Orange Day campaign Building resilient minds and saying no to all forms of violence |17 March 2018
A group of 70 secondary school students, head teachers and counsellors attended a youth symposium on gender-based violence organised by the Ministry of Family Affairs in collaboration with the Early Childhood, Primary & Secondary Education Department.
This initiative was to officially launch the ‘Orange Day’ campaign across secondary schools.
The aims of the symposium were to raise awareness on the campaign and to encourage students and staff members on the best practices in creating a violence free school.
In her opening address, the principal secretary for Family Affairs, Marie Josée Bonne, stressed the importance for the youth to adopt a no violence attitude for the betterment of the country and their future.
The half-day symposium consisted of four presentations by guest speakers Beryl Dodin on values, Cyril Pillay on anti-bullying at school, Elsa Nourrice on dating violence and Trevor Louise representing the Stand up, Step Up Seychelles association with its newly appointed ambassador Miss Seychelles Plus 2018, Angela Jeannie.
Head teachers and representatives of secondary schools present -- namely English River, Anse Royale, Pointe Larue, Belonie, Perseverance, Plaisance, Beau Vallon, Mont Fleuri and Anse Boileau -- were presented with an Orange banner to be displayed at their schools on the 25th of every month.
Orange Day is an international campaign which encourages people to wear orange coloured clothes or orange accessories on every 25th of every month to show their solidarity for victims of gender-based violence; that is violence against women and girls but most importantly to help put an end to all forms of violence.
Orange is the colour of hope for survivors of gender-based violence.