Character Day as a concept was first established in the United States in 2014 by an organisation called Let It Ripple (letitripple.org). The organisation produced an 8-minute short film entitled 'The Science of Character' that was screened in over 1,000 locations, including the U.S. State Department. In 2015, two additional short films were released, and the reach of Character Day increased to 6,000 organisations globally. Schools, organisations, companies and families are encouraged to join this now global movement. 

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As a flagship project of the Character Education Foundation, Character Day Hong Kong was first celebrated across the city in 2016. The unique way that Hong Kong celebrates Character Day is in choosing an annual character strength as a theme, having well-respected ambassadors speak for the cause, and creating localised videos and resources for participating schools and organisations. In its inaugural year, Character Day Hong Kong had over 200 participating schools and organisations take part in a campaign that was prominently covered in digital and print media.