Venue: Vancouver Convention Centre
Event: FROM ME TO WE: Changing the world, one goat at a time
May 14, 2009
The Vancouver Board of Trade’s Rix Centre for Corporate Citizenship & Engaged Leadership sold 908 goats for $50 at the presentation of the Center’s inaugural Engaged Citizenship Award to four-times Nobel Peace Prize nominee Craig Kielburger and his brother Marc, founders of Free the Children.
The Kielburger brothers, who have orchestrated the Me to We leadership educational program taking off in Lower Mainland schools, announced the opening of a Free the Children Vancouver office at the sold-out event sponsored by Kingswood Properties Ltd. and The Keg Steakhouse & Bar. Craig also announced plans for a giant youth rally to celebrate We Day – a free event at GM Place that will welcome 16,000 students in the fall.
Sofia Stern from St. Helen’s School, Burnaby and Kelsie Tham from St. Francis Xavier School, Vancouver, both nine years old, got a head start on the event and sold 29 goats as a fundraiser for Free the Children, hosted by The Vancouver Board of Trade. The girls called family members, and asked friends and teachers at school to help send goats that will help families and communities in Africa. Photo:D.RoelsAt this special fundraiser to help families and communities in Africa, audience members could buy $50 “goat placards” representing a goat purchase for their table. The 908 goats bought provide a sustainable source of income for many African families in need. The Vancouver Board of Trade Foundation also presented a cheque donation of $10,000 at the event.
“Engaged leadership means bridging to the broader community to make a difference,” said Board chairman Dr. Don Rix, CM, OBC, who inspired the founding of the Rix Center at The Board. “This award recognizes Craig and Marc’s dedication to making the world a better place, by inspiring an entire generation to stand up, become engaged and have their voices heard.”
Craig Kielberger shared his inspiring story of his personal journeys through developing countries around the world, the foundation of his organization and how he is encouraging an entire generation of youth to become actively engaged citizens of the world.
Craig Kielburger, founder of Free the Children, shares his inspiring story of his personal journeys with The Vancouver Board of Trade. Photo: D.Roels “We live in an extraordinary world, at an extraordinary time in history,” he said. “And it is absolutely stunning how fast human progress can be achieved when we are willing.”
For the first time, the Board of Trade lunch was chaired by students: 17-year-old Chanelle Segal from Crofton House School, and 15-year-old Matthew Segal from St. George’s School. Their father, Lorne Segal, who sits on The Board of Trade board of directors, thanked Craig as a supporter of Free the Children.
As well as encouraging youth to volunteer locally and internationally, Craig also asked the audience to promote active corporate citizenship in their business communities by challenging their employees to find a deeper meaning in their workplace. “It’s about individuals coming together for a collective good,” he said. “kind of like a riot, but for good.”
He spoke of the power of “calling a minga,” a South American word for rallying everyone to drop what they are doing for individual gain and coming together to do something for “the collective good” of the community.
Since Craig founded the organization in 1995 at the age of 12, Free the Children has become the world’s largest network of children helping children through education.
Craig, who received a standing ovation after his speech, has been awarded many national and international awards for his work, including The Roosevelt Freedom Medal, The World Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child (often called the Children’s Nobel Prize) and he is one of the youngest recipients of The Order of Canada. His New York Times bestseller, Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World, was given out to the audience.
Marc Kielburger is the CEO of Free The Children, and is the recipient of many honours, including the Order of Canada and selection by the World Economic Forum as one of the 250 Young Global Leaders.
Floral centrepieces were donated Arbutists Florists
See also:
Board of Trade: 908 goats bought, The Vancouver Sun, May 15
Board of Trade to fund projects that help people transform their own lives, The Province, May 15
For more information on the Rix Center, see http://www.boardoftrade.com/images2/SB/SB_March2009_supplement.pdf
