How the history of National Kindness Week 2026 inspires modern digital citizenship.
It is wild to think that Canada was the first country in the world to pass a law dedicated to kindness. We literally have it in our legal DNA. This didn’t happen by accident. It happened because people like Rabbi Bulka realized that kindness is a civic duty, not just a suggestion. Since Bill S-223 passed in 2021, we’ve had a formal reminder every February to get our act together. But in 2026, the way we show kindness has to evolve because so much of our life happens behind a screen.
Digital spaces are often the most unkind places we visit. It’s so easy to be cruel when you’re looking at a profile picture instead of a human face. But National Kindness Week 2026 is a call to bring that radical kindness into your DMs and your comment sections. It’s about choosing not to dunk on someone just because you can. It’s about recognizing that there is a nervous system on the other side of that screen. Radical kindness in the digital age is about restraint.
Being kind online isn’t about being fake or overly positive. It’s about being human. If you see someone getting dog-piled, reach out. If you see an artist sharing their work, give them a genuine compliment. We spend so much time consuming content that we forget we are participating in a global conversation. Your words have weight. You can either use them to build something or to tear it down. Use this week to be the person who builds.
When we look back at the history of this week, from its roots in Ottawa to its status as a national law, the message is clear: kindness is our greatest collective resource. It doesn’t cost anything, but its value is astronomical. As you move through the rest of this year, keep that same energy. Don’t let the internet turn you into a cynic. Stay soft, stay open, and remember that being kind is the most rebellious thing you can do in a world that profits from your anger.
This week is National Kindness Week
Passed as a private member’s bill by Senator Jim Munson, Bill S-223, the Kindness Week Act, received Royal Assent on June 3, 2021, becoming law in Canada and officially designating the third week of February as National Kindness Week. The inspiration for this bill, the late Rabbi Reuven Bulka, founder of Kind Canada, launched the very first Kindness Week in Ottawa 18 years ago—making Canada the first country in the world to pass such legislation.
This annual, week-long celebration encourages Canadians from coast to coast to coast to celebrate acts of kindness, volunteerism, and charitable giving for the benefit of all Canadians. It also connects individuals and organizations to share resources, information, and tools to foster even more acts of kindness.
Let’s make note of this special week, and share ways to support Kindness in our workplaces, schools and communities.
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