From June 11 to 13, the World Anti-Bullying Forum 2025 took place in the city of Stavanger Norway. “Oghak” founder Vera Sisserian and co-founder Kohar Kandaharian participated in this forum, which hosted over 750 participants from 50 countries.
Renowned experts of this field participated as keynote speakers, while researchers presented their new studies during the symposium, and facilitators conducted workshops related to bullying.
Bullying is considered as a behavior that disturbs the mental health. Globally, one out of three students is subjected to bullying and suffers from its consequences: anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, academic difficulties, health issues, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, and crimal behavior. This forum particularly focused on cyberbullying, which is widespread and can affect victims continuously, 24/7, turning their lives into a nightmare. Discussions also highlighted the critical role of bystanders and the importance of proper education in this regard.
One particularly compelling aspect of the forum was the presentation of genocides as extreme examples of bullying. This topic was presented by Barbara Coloroso, author of Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide, which discusses three genocides, including the Armenian Genocide. She frames genocide as the gravest form of bullying and considers bystanders not as innocent, but as complicit participants.
