Entertainment

Photo: Contributed - Sharon Murray Desmond Tutu and Craig Kielburger

Sharon Murray writes:

On October 18th,  I had the privilege of attending Free The Children's We Day event in Vancouver along with 20,000 kids from Kelowna, the Okanagan, and across BC.

My daughter has been involved with the organisation for six years, and has always returned from We Day events motivated and enthused.

The day didn't pull any punches. Along with entertainment from celebrities such as One Republic, My Name Is Kay, the cast of DEGRASSI, Cody Simpson, Shawn Desman and Cirque du Soleil, the crucial topics facing this new generation were highlighted. Hon Justice Sinclair spoke of aboriginal issues. Desmond Tutu told how it felt to cast his first vote in an election - at that moment he was  a free man for the first time and he was a different person. Kids who had been bullied had the courage to address the crowd and tell how they faced the torment, came through, and helped others. Spencer West (who was told by doctors he would never be a functioning member of society), showed how he conquered Mount Kilmanjaro, using only his arms. The stories were powerful and engaged the young audience.

Craig and Mark Kielburger launched the challenge to collect pennies before they go out of circulation to bring clean water to 100,000 people around the world. The achievements of kids in their local, national and global communities were celebrated.

The event was slick, powerfully marketed, and education (in my lay person's opinion) at its best. Each child who attended came away with the message that they had a voice - they could be the change. I came away thinking Canada might just be a slightly better place as a result of it, and, as Holly Branson announced, We Day is being launched in the UK and US in 2013, maybe the world might be too.