Pink Bows Foundation Endorses Global Crowd Management Alliance’s “Words Matter: The Language of Crowds”

The Pink Bows Foundation is proud to support the work of the Global Crowd Management Alliance to create safer events, through enhancing communication and education. We admire the dedication of these event and crowd management professionals who are continuously striving to raise the bar and promote best practices by sharing their experience and knowledge.

The Global Crowd Management Alliance® (GCMA®) aims to raise the standard of crowd management practices globally through education, advocacy and motivating individuals and organisations to facilitate positive change in the industry.

The organization’s latest initiative – WORDS MATTER: The Language of Crowds – emphasizes the critical role of language in managing and communicating with crowds effectively and safely. See excerpt below:

WORDS MATTER: The Language of Crowds

When describing crowds and crowd-related accidents/incidents, the vocabulary is often inconsistent and sometimes misleading. On many occasions, incorrect words are used to define crowd density, crowd risks and, hence, crowd safety. Some forms of words even prematurely assume the cause of death in the minutes following an incident.

Examples include:

1. General Descriptive Terms – Broad descriptors of crowd conditions: Overcrowded, Full, Overflowing, Rammed, Packed to the gunwales, Wall-to-wall.
2. Misleading Comparisons & Colloquialisms – Metaphors or informal terms that misrepresent crowd risk: Like Piccadilly Circus, School of fish, Mobbed, Overpopulated.
3. Emotionally Charged & Misused Terms – Often misapplied in reporting, distorting incident realities: Crushed, Stampede, Panic, Trampled.

NB: these terms may be correct in certain, limited circumstances, however when used inaccurately the consequences can be significant.

Download full document here.