WINNIPEG -- WE Day has landed once again in downtown Winnipeg.
About 1,600 students, along with volunteers and teachers from all across Manitoba filled the Burton Cummings Theatre to attend the annual WE Day Manitoba, on Wednesday.
Nobody can buy tickets to WE Day – every student in attendance had to earn their way in by taking action on a local or global cause of their choice.
Take for example, 13-year-old Alliana Rempel from Arborg – she wrote a book to help raise money to help build a school in Nicaragua. She managed to raise $10,000 in under a year for her cause – and she doesn’t plan to stop there.
“Right now I’m thinking of doing something with water or health care,” she said. “I want to help my town with healthcare and improve the hospital. Also seeing that a lot of places don’t have access to clean water, that’s a big issue.”
This year’s Manitoba WE Day boasted guest speakers and performers such as Olivia Lunny, Jordin Tootoo, Emilio Estevez, and George Takei. Each presenter spoke on different issues. Actor and activist Emilio Estevez said he wants to make sure kids aren’t afraid to speak up and make a difference.
“Your voice matters because the future of our planet depends on it,” Estevez said.
Rempel said she enjoyed this year’s WE Day celebrations.
“It’s been really fun and inspiring.”
She’s not the only one who thinks so.
“Young people showing all this energy and idealism, loudly, and eloquently, really inspired me,” said George Takei.
This year’s WE Day theme was superheroes.
