NATIONAL DAYEDUCATION

National Day of Silence

Every year on Friday, April 9, silence becomes the loudest voice in the hallway. On the National Day of Silence, students across the country take a day-long vow of silence to stand with LGBTQ+ youth who are bullied, harassed, and pushed to the margins of school life. Their deliberate quiet mirrors the silencing these students face every day, and by evening, when the silence breaks together, it turns into one of the clearest calls for safer schools in America.

APR9

Friday, April 9Changes Annually

days to go

Roots: Created in 1996 by University of Virginia student Maria Pulzetti as a class project on nonviolent protest; GLSEN became the official national sponsor in 2001.
Also on Apr 9: Donate Life Blue & Green Day
Hashtag: #NationalDayOfSilence

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3 ways to celebrate

WITH FRIENDS

Take the Vow

Spend the school day in deliberate silence with friends, carry the Day of Silence speaking card, and end the day by breaking the silence together at a rally or a shared meal.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Wear Your Support

If your job or classes require you to speak, wear a rainbow ribbon or draw an X on your hand instead, hand out speaking cards, and post on social media explaining what the silence stands for.

AT HOME

Host a Break-the-Silence Talk

Gather your family or roommates for an evening conversation about bullying and harassment in schools, and agree on one concrete action, such as supporting a GSA club or an anti-bullying policy at your local school.

Plan ahead

National Day of Silence moves each year (Changes Annually). This year it is Friday, April 9, 2027. Check back for future years.

Fast facts

GLSEN reported hundreds of thousands of students at more than 8,000 schools took part in the 2008 Day of Silence; each year, more than 10,000 participants register with GLSEN to take the vow.

Take a vow of silence for the school day, carry the Day of Silence speaking card, wear a ribbon or draw an X on your hand, and end the day by breaking the silence together at a rally.