Dear teachers, parents and fellow classmates,

We gathered here today incited by the International Day against School Bullying in order to reflect on this prickly issue and seek ways to free ourselves from the tentacles that have permeated every single aspect of our social life.

    In today’s society, a plethora of adolescents is obliged to face an outrageous problem known as bullying. This problem tends to appear in the form of school bullying. Many members of the Greek government, the European Union, and the United Nations have studied in-depth to resolve it. Consequently, they have taken measures, in the form of legal policies ,to  prohibit actions related to bullying.

Firstly, it is vital to start addressing the United Nations’ actions so the issue’s law part is visualized in a more arranged way. The UN has signed many conventions about human rights, violence and, of course, harassment or bullying. The Convention on Children’s Rights or the Convention against All Forms of Racial Discrimination or against Torture, Cruel, Inhuman, Degrading Treatment or Punishment are quite noteworthy examples. Forbidding racist behaviors that expand into harmful and detestable ways of thinking for the whole society is one of the crucial problems that the UN has done in the past.

Furthermore, a reference to the European Union’s movements is essential. Declaration of Paris, EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the main legislation for supporting human rights, are just plain but of gargantuan importance examples that indicate the care of the EU for banning actions such as bullying. However, despite the significant fact that the EU has legalized actions connected to bullying- not bullying actually, there has also been a humongous part of practical actions taken in everyday life. For instance, Action Anti-Bullying took place in 5 countries and 25 (!) schools and reached out to 13.000 children in need of help, but also helped thoroughly in reducing bullying incidents. Moreover, ENABLE transpired as a major campaign to further the practical solutions that the EU adopted. The project’s aim was to  offer help in 5 countries, including Greece, in the vast number of 120 schools and was supported by 23 ambassador-teachers.  

Eventually, the Greek Government would not be apart from solving this morbidity. Greek Constitutional Law and Penal Code  are expected to prevent and even condemn any attitude related to bullying. High amount fines and imprisonment are only some of the repercussions that bullies will confront . These penalties are also applicable to  parents, teachers, or even the local township  if detected unwilling to create a friendly and anti-bullying environment preventing thus and curtailing such  inappropriate incidents.

As a result, it is significant to compare altogether the proposals that the UN, EU, and Greek government have provided. The Convention on Children’s Rights against All Forms of Racial Discrimination can be compared with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and with the Greek Constitutional Law. For example, not only can an EU citizen be fully protected and even contend against people trespassing the law but also citizens from countries that comprise UN can do so. It should be reminded that bullies are also trespassers of the law therefore people being bullied can legally force a penalty on them.

Eventually, it is crystal clear that distinguished institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union have endeavored to put a barrier on situations best for bullying to arise. At the same time, the Greek State has shown intimate interest for occluding bullying or other unjust actions.

Last but not least ,no one can deny that all the aforementioned measures and penalties would be rendered useless if we do not instill in us from a very early age values such as freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and dignity along with law abidance. Only by a practical endorsement of these values can we aspire to a society freed and relieved from such ‘plagues’.

It is high time we appealed therefore to our European collective conscience. Only by doing so can we see this festering sore finally cured.

Thank you very much for your attention.