National We Day 2015 Here We Come!

Here we go to Ottawa! Today, We Day and National Co-Title Sponsors RBC and TELUS announce the star-studded lineup of speakers and performers for National We Day taking place on April 1, 2015 at the Canadian Tire Centre. National We Day will bring together 16,000 students and teachers in an inspirational setting celebrating the commitment they have made to take action locally and globally.

I’m thrilled and honoured to be speaking again in the nation’s capital, and I can’t wait to see you there! if you’re going, leave me a comment and let me know!

Taking to the stage this year is a cast of returning favourites and new faces, including Ambassador Heyman, Kardinal Offishall, Marlee Matlin, Scott Helman, Kweku Mandela and Amanda Lindhout. Also announced today are National We Day co-hosts, VJ and host of the MUCH COUNTDOWN Liz Trinnear, and E! host Tyrone Edwards. Along with others, this all-star lineup will join international activists and We Day co-founders, Craig and Marc Kielburger, to share their passion for change, international experiences, and energize the crowd with unforgettable performances and motivational speeches.

We Day is the movement of our time – a movement of young people leading local and global change. We Day celebrates and inspires this generation’s shift from me to we – towards acting with intention, leading with compassion, and a belief in the power of community. We Day is one of the world’s largest registered charities on social media, with more than five million followers. This year alone hundreds of thousands of young people will come together in stadium-sized events in 14 cities to take part in this unprecedented educational initiative.

You can’t buy a ticket to We Day. Young people earn them by committing to take action on local and global causes of their choice. We Day provides a platform for youth to learn about some of today’s pressing social issues, helping to inspire them to become leaders and global citizens and to take action on the issues most important to them. We Day is free of charge to the thousands of students and educators in attendance, thanks to the generous support of National Co-Title Sponsors RBC and TELUS.

More than a one-day event, We Day is connected to the year-long We Act program, which provides educational resources and campaigns to help young people turn the day’s inspiration into sustained action.

The full list of speakers, performers and presenters announced to date include:
Ambassador Bruce Heyman and Mrs. Heyman (@BruceAHeyman) (@vshey) (@usembassyottawa) – United States Ambassador to Canada
Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) – Academy Award-winning actress and devoted social activist
Kardinal Offishall (@KardinalO) – Award-winning rap artist, music producer and Free The Children ambassador
Scott Helman (@ScottHelman) – Canadian singer and songwriter
Shawn Desman (@DaRealSD) – Platinum-selling and Juno Award-winning recording artist
Amanda Lindhout (@AmandaLindhout) – Canadian author, humanitarian, speaker and activist
JRDN (@JRDNmusic) – Juno Award-winning artist and Free The Children ambassador
Kweku Mandela (@kwekumandela) – Social advocate, filmmaker, and grandson of President Nelson Mandela
Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) – Award-winning actress and activist
Andee (@andeeofficial) – Canadian recording artist
Jessica Tyler and Ricardo Hoyos (@Degrassi) – Cast members from the Emmy-nominated TV series DEGRASSI
Neverest (@neverestmusic) – Chart-topping MMVA-nominated Canadian pop-rock band
Liz Trinnear (@liztrinnear) – VJ, host of the MUCH COUNTDOWN, and co-host of National We Day
Tyrone Edwards (@mr1LOVETO) – Host of E! and co-host of National We Day
Mustafa the Poet (@MustafaThePoet) – 18-year-old poet, writer, actor and emcee
Craig and Marc Kielburger (@craigkielburger) – International activists and co-founders of We Day
Spencer West (@spencer2thewest) – Me to We motivational speaker, Free The Children ambassador and author
Hannah Alper (@ThatHannahAlper) – 12-year-old Me to We inspirational speaker, Free The Children ambassador, blogger and youth activist. That’s me!
Start Up (@startupdance) – Local dance group  Taylor Conroy (@destroynormal) – Founder and CEO – Change Heroes
Ashley Rose Murphy (@AshleyRose_FTC) – Motivational youth speaker