Mary @ Save the Children anti-bullying kid's relay

Photo © Thorkild Amdi/POLFOTO/Fyens Stifstidende

Yesterday morning Crown Princess Mary took part in Save the Children's Free from Bullying campaign's children's relay in Fælledparken, Copenhagen. Crown Princess Mary got a big hug from the Better Buddies Bear when she arrived. The bear is the mascot for the anti-bullying campaign in Denmark originally adopted from Australia. Before the 1km race Mary joined the kids for a warm-up and then greeted them at the end of the race with medals for their participation. The head of Red Barnet (Save the Children) in Denmark, Mimi Jacobsen, talked about the importance of the campaign, which has been launched in several places in Denmark, including some of the largest cities. She also emphasised the importance of Mary's presence by asking the reporter whether TV2 would have been there if Mary hadn't been there.



Photos © Chris Christophersen/msn.dk, Thorkild Amdi/POLFOTO/Fyens Stifstidende

B.T. 'Kronprinsesse Mary til løb i Fælledparken' - Crown Princess Mary at race in the Commons Park (Maggie Svarstad)
Even though she didn't run herself, the princess warmed up together with 2,000 young ones and their parents who participated in Save the Children's Free from Bullying children's race on Sunday.
The Crown Princess arrived at exactly 10:45 at the sunny Fælledparken dressed in flat shoes, knee length pants, a puff sleeved blouse, a straw hat and bodyguards.
She was received with shouts of joy by the children in the summer heat, by Save the Children's secretary-general Mimi Jacobsen - and by the anti-bullying campaign's big purple Better Buddy Bear.
The Better Buddy Bear, who in the Fælledparken had a large sweating man inside, is included in the project's pedagogical tools that the Princess' Mary Foundation and the Save the Children Fund have developed together.
A fundamental idea is to teach children that it is better to behave kindly towards each other and understand the fine line between teasing and bullying.
"To bully is when someone seriously teases another. And it's not right to do it," Mimi Jacobsen said in her speech before the race began.
It is the Crown Princess herself who has taken initiative to introduce the anti-bullying program.
In Australia there is a well advanced program in anti-bullying called Better Buddies and it was natural to suggest something similar in her new native country.
On June 11th it'll be the turn of children from Århus who'll participate in Free from Bullying Børnestafetten. Everyone will run, but not the Crown Princess.
Jyllands Posten 'Mary vil være fri for mobning' - Mary will be free from bullying
...The race was in aid of the Mary Foundation's and Save the Children's Free fromBullying project.
The race was for children of all ages but adults could participate along with thelittlest ones.
The enthusiastic children had to each run a kilometre after which the Crown Princess made a medal presentation to each and a hug to the lucky ones.
A total number of 234 teams ran in the race...Ritzau/mabe

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TV2 news clip (01:52)
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(thanks Muhler!)