RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Gov. Roy Cooper welcomed colleagues from around the world who gathered in Raleigh on Wednesday morning to discuss bullying prevention.

It is part of the World Anti-Bullying Forum, an event being held outside of Europe for the first time.

The gathering was hosted by the UNC School of Education where staff spent two years planning the three-day event that tackles the tough, yet important, topic of bullying.

“The reality is that we’ve reduced it in the United States by 10 to 15 percent under ideal situations,” said UNC Professor Dorothy Espelage, who organized the event. “Our colleagues here from Europe and other parts of the world have reduced it by 30 to 50 percent.”

The forum brought attendees from all over the world to discuss research on bullying prevention, including Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.

“We all yearn to gain a deeper understanding of why bullying occurs and more importantly how we can actively work towards its prevention,” Princess Mary said. “By working together, we can leverage our collective expertise and resources to make a greater impact.”

Members of the forum will compile the research they discussed and create recommendations on how to better address bullying worldwide.