The York Leadership Conference will present youth leaders Marc and Craig Kielburger at an exclusive speaking engagement, titled “From Me to We”, Saturday from noon to 2:30pm, in Vari Hall’s Lecture Theatre A.
Right: From left, Marc and Craig Kielburger
Brothers and passionate leaders of Free the Children and Leaders Today, their appearance is part of the York Leadership Conference for transitioning and outgoing student leaders, taking place at York’s Keele campus today through Saturday. The Kielburgers are internationally renowned champions of youth rights and youth involvement in helping children around the world.
Free the Children is the largest network of children helping children in the world with over 100,000 members active in 45 countries. The organization has built more than 400 primary schools which provide education to more than 35,000 kids a day, has shipped millions of dollars worth of medical supplies to developing countries, and has sent more than 200,000 school and health kits to children in need.
This event, which is open to conference participants as well as York students, staff and faculty, has been made possible by the generous contribution of the Office of the Assistant Vice-President Student Community Development, York Student Centre Corporation, York Federation of Students, TravelCUTS and Breakaway Tours.
Craig Kielburger, founder and Chair of Free the Children, became a spokesperson for children’s rights at age 12 when he read about a young boy from Pakistan who was sold into bondage as a carpet weaver, escaped and was murdered for speaking out against child labour. Craig gathered a group of friends and founded the organization Free the Children. Now 21, Craig has travelled to more than 40 countries visiting street and working children, and speaking out in defence of children’s rights.
The executive director of Free the Children, Marc Kielburger is a graduate of Harvard University where he studied government and international relations, and is a Rhodes Scholar who recently graduated with a law degree from Oxford University. He is also co-founder, with his brother, of Leaders Today, an international organization that provides leadership training to more than 100,000 young people a year. Leaders Today administers inspirational leadership programs for young people throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe as well as for the United Nations, and universities, colleges and high schools across North America.
Public tickets will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis at the door.