Experts on bullying survival, psychology, cybercrimes, and sports share prevention strategies as parallel

MoraBanc Andorra organised the "Defensem el respecte" anti-bullying awareness event on Thursday at the Toni Martí Pavilion in Andorra la Vella, drawing more than 840 pupils from sixth-grade primary and first- and second-year secondary levels across the country's education networks.

Timed for World Day Against Bullying in Schools on May 2, the gathering addressed prevention of bullying and cyberbullying. It opened with a symbolic lights-out, a welcome video from first-team players and the coach, and a performance by Encamp's Cor Rock choir.

Speakers included social educator Brian Giner, who suffered 12 years of bullying and normalised it without a safe outlet. He highlighted bystanders' failure to act as particularly harmful, warning against brushing off insults or aggression as jokes, and encouraged speaking out to end isolation. "In my era, there were no protocols—it was treated as kids' stuff, but it wasn't," he noted.

Psychologist Bibiana Sans from the SAAS child and youth service outlined detection cues like falling grades, eroded self-esteem, school avoidance, or phone reluctance. Untreated, she cautioned, these can escalate to depression or suicide attempts. She urged turning to trusted adults—parents, friends, or teachers—and praised the anonymous B-Resol platform for alerting schools.

Ferran Jordan, senior officer in the tech crimes unit, described cyberbullying as repeated acts such as messages, threats, or image alterations to isolate victims. He stressed matching online behaviour to real-world norms, noting children over 12 face youth justice penalties. "We cannot normalise insults or threats—digital conduct must align with everyday life," he said.

David Eudal, the club's youth basketball director, presented sport as key to building respect, perseverance, self-control, and frustration tolerance, with lessons carrying into daily life. He called for balancing screens with activity, valuing court bonds as lasting and positive. "If we respect one another, the world will be better," he remarked.

Natàlia De Felipe, the club's CSR manager, framed respect as coexistence's bedrock and the team as an educational ally beyond games. "We had to raise our voice and leverage our platform for awareness," she said. The event closed with a batucada by students from Santa Coloma Andorran School.

In parallel efforts for the day, the Associació Jovent en Risc d’Andorra (ADJRA) launched the "El que no es veu" photography contest on Instagram, open to all, to spotlight youth issues like mental health, bullying, social pressure, and loneliness. Participants can submit up to two images with descriptions via @jovent_en_risc_andorra and #ElQueNoEsVeu, plus email to infoadjra@gmail.com, until May 24. A jury will pick 10-15 finalists for public vote, with prizes for three winners totalling 300 euros and selected photos for future campaigns.

ADJRA president Sandra Cano and Escola Andorrana AMPA president Mireia Muñoz emphasised shared responsibility across families, schools, sports, and leisure settings to detect changes early and follow protocols, noting cyberbullying's round-the-clock reach. Government data showed 48 bullying indicators and seven confirmed sexual harassment cases in 2024-2025, down from 37 the prior year under new measures, though full 2025-2026 figures await end-of-term review.