We Day National

On Wednesday, April 1, I was invited to attend We Day National an initiative of Free The Children to celebrate, inspire and challenge youth to make a difference both globally and locally. The day was filled with inspiring speeches from actors, activists, and youth who all support and follow Free The Children, along with performances by Free The Children Ambassadors and lessons on how to create change. The day was exciting, fun and an amazing experience, definitely one to remember.

We Day National was held in the Canadian Tire Centre with 16 000 'world changers' in attendance. For someone with anxiety in large crowds, the fact that each person in the arena was like-minded to me was comforting and inspiring. It opened my eyes to sheer number of people who wanted the world to change for the better, and reminded me of the impact each person can have.

The day opened with a poem by Mustafa the poet. Although I don't remember exactly what was said, it was heart heartwrenching and well said. The power of his voice alone set the tone for the day. You could tell it was genuine and honest by the emotion said with each word. It opened my mind to the rest of the day and allowed me to listen and take in what each performer or speaker said after him.

Near the end of Mustafa's poem, the whole stadium used the lights on their phones to shine it on him. It was incredibly touching, even as a observer to see. It really emphasized the good in everyone, especially in Mustafa. 

As with any day, it can't start without O Canada, especially in the nations capital. While singing O Canada the Canadian flag was passed through the crowd hand-by-hand. The teamwork and organization to pass it around was incredibly patriotic.

Throughout the day many notable people would shoutout the amazing things the attendees have done. In this picture, three Ottawa Senators were shouting out the amazing people in the crowd. 

Jonathan Pitre is a 14-year old student and ambassador for Free The Children. When Jonathon was just an infant he was diagnosed with a disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), which causes his skin to blister. His story was shared to inspire others to chase their dreams, just as he has throughout his 14 years of life. The struggle he goes through each day is certainly one that is tough, but at the end of the day he does not let his disability to diminish him. His strength is truly inspiring. 

When Nelson Mandela died in 2013, I didn't know much about him. Since then I've picked up a few tidbits about him, his cause and his time spent living. For most of his life he was imprisoned for standing up for what he believed, for equality between all people. After his death, others have carried on his legacy. At We Day National, his grandson Kweku Mandela carried on his legacy with a speech about the injustices he is passionate about. He talked about Africa Rising, of which is a partner to.

Free The Children Founders, Mark and Craig Kielburger, started the day with an introduction, recapped at 'lunch time' and ended the day with a conclusion. Their efforts on this day and in general have impacted so many both locally and globally. They had a dream and created their own legacy and movement. Their motto "Courage+Dreams=Success" was the focus of the day and is sure going to be remembered by the 16000 in attendance.