Thousands attend We Day
Posted Feb 17, 2011 12:36:13 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
About 6,000 students filled the seats in the Dom Cardillo Arena at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium today to rally for social change.
Marc and Craig Kielburger with Free the Children opened their We Day event, and introduced Research in Motion’s COO Don Morrison, who spoke about the Build A Village Rewards program, through which 50 students will go overseas to Kenya and India this summer.
The Kielburgers’ say that in 15 years, kids have built 650 schools and provided clean water, health care and sanitation to over 1 million people around the world through their programs.
Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and former U.S. vice president Al Gore both received standing ovations from the crowd when they took the stage.
Jackson rallied the students, getting them to repeat his words, saying that if they believe in changing the world, they can achieve it.
He later told reporters, “There’s an exuding sense of confidence in the youth, it’s like they’re making service the hip thing to do.”
Gore was one of the last speakers to address the audience. He too told students in the arena that they can make a difference.
“Young people today… understand that we have a tremendous challenge to solve global warming and… you must become the change you wish to see in the world.”
The show’s lineup included several musicians, including the Barenaked Ladies, Shawn Desman and the Stereos.
After it was over, some students walked away inspired.
As one teen told 570 News, “It certainly teaches the youth today that we can do a lot more than we think.”
