Classified, Margaret Trudeau, Rick Hansen, Joseph Boyden, Roméo Dallaire, and More Join 8,000 Local Youth at WE Day Atlantic Canada to Celebrate Young People Changing the World - Apply for media accreditation to attend WE Day at we.org/press/we-day-press - - Bios, photos and information for WE Day Atlantic Canada available on the WE Day Atlantic Canada Electronic Press Kit - - WE Day will stream live at 9:45 a.m. AT on November 30, 2016 at we.org/watchweday - - WE Day is free to thousands of students thanks to partners led by National Co-Title Sponsors RBC and TELUS -

Click toTweet: .@WEMovement announces #WEDay #AtlanticCanada lineup @classified #MargaretTrudeau @RickHansenFdn @josephboyden @romeodallaire @KardinalO

Halifax, NS (November 16, 2016) – WE Day, a series of inspiring stadium-sized life-changing events that take place around the world, announces the initial list of speakers, performers and presenters attending WE Day Atlantic Canada on November 30, 2016 at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax. WE Day is part of WE— a movement that brings people together and gives them the tools to change the world locally and globally, achieving transformative outcomes for themselves and others. Alongside partners led by National Co-Title Sponsors RBC and TELUS, WE Day Atlantic Canada will bring together more than 8,000 local change- makers with inspirational speakers and world-renowned performers to celebrate their commitment to taking action on issues in their own backyards and global causes they are passionate about.

Taking the stage this year is a cast of new faces and returning WE Day favourites, including Margaret Trudeau, Rick Hansen, Joseph Boyden, Roméo Dallaire, Kardinal Offishall, , Jully Black, Celebrity Marauders and more. Also taking the WE Day stage is Halifax native, -winning Canadian artist and producer, Classified. Co-hosted by Much/E! host Tyrone Edwards and ETALK reporter and Much host, Liz Trinnear, this star-studded lineup will join international activists and WE co- founders, Craig and Marc Kielburger, to share their passion for change and energize the crowd with unforgettable performances and motivational speeches to inspire another year of action.

Young people in Atlantic Canada are a driving force in empowering their community. By taking action on issues that matter most to them, students in the community have contributed to finding solution-based approaches to assist issues of hunger and homelessness through food drives like WE Scare Hunger and other creative initiatives. Students are helping Syrian refugees feel more welcome and comfortable by hosting welcome parties for new community members and raising awareness about the crisis in Syria.

“Every time I take part at WE Day, I am amazed by all the positive impacts youth have created using their passion and commitment to make a difference in the world,” said novelist and short story writer, Joseph Boyden. “From coast to coast, thousands of youth are using WE as a platform to have their voices heard and together help build a better future for tomorrow.”

Making WE Day a true celebration of youth taking action, young people with inspiring stories join the WE Day Atlantic Canada lineup, including Hani Al Moulia. Although legally blind, he is an accomplished photographer, promising student, and is an example of achievement in the face of adversity. Along with his parents and siblings, the Al Moulia family made the dangerous and uncertain trek from the Syrian city of Homs to Canada. Arriving in Canada in June 2015, Hani now shares the photographs of his family’s journey to their new home in Regina, Saskatchewan, in hopes that people will embrace the power of togetherness. Hani is one of many who will be sharing their incredible story on the WE Day stage.

“WE Day celebrates the amazing young people who have taken action at home and around the world to create sustainable change for a better tomorrow,” said Craig Kielburger, co-founder of WE. “Standing in a stadium full of passionate youth will affirm your belief that real change can happen—and is happening every single day right here in Atlantic Canada. This past school year more than 400 schools and groups across Atlantic Canada made an incredible impact in their own backyards and in communities around the world through their commitment and passion for change.”

WE Day events bring people together, filling stadiums around the globe to experience the greatest classroom in the world for a full day, live event. People can’t buy a ticket to WE Day—they earn their entry through service, by taking action on one local and one global cause of their choice. WE Day is free of charge to the thousands of students and educators in attendance across Canada, thanks to the generous support of partners led by National Co-Title Sponsors RBC and TELUS.

WE Day engages students of all socioeconomic backgrounds through WE Schools, a yearlong educational program that provides schools and community groups with educational resources and student-led campaigns designed to enhance a school’s existing social initiatives or spark new ones. WE Schools encourages students to further their curricular learning and develop life skills for success. Young people are challenged to research and make an impact on at least one local and one global issue, and supported with curricular resources, service campaigns and mentorship programs to help them become change-makers.

In the 2015/2016 school year students and teachers from across Atlantic Canada participated in remarkable social change. More than 400 schools and groups in Atlantic Canada improved the world through WE Schools, volunteering over almost 255,000 hours and raising over $696,000 in support of global issues and local causes including the welcoming and inclusion of Syrian refugees, bringing awareness to mental health issues and the collection of food items for local food banks. As only one example: Sunnyside Elementary School created awareness of mental health in their local community through an evening of Fine Arts which featured art pieces created by the students and inspired by famous artists who struggled with mental health. Sunnyside Elementary also reached their annual $5,000 goal for Kenya this year through the WE Schools, WE Are Silent campaign for which they hosted a non-stop dance-a-thon.

Alumni studies show that after leaving the WE Schools program, 80 percent of students continue to volunteer, 83 percent continue to donate to charities and 79 percent (of those over 18) voted in the last national election. A global movement of 2.4 million young people strong, youth involved in the WE Movement have raised $62 million for more than 2,400 local and global organizations, volunteered 19.9 million hours for local and global causes and collected over 7.6 million pounds of food through service learning programs and campaigns.

Anyone can find their place in the WE Movement and commit to making a change in the world. The first step is to take the WE Pledge at WE.org. By taking the pledge, participants are joining the WE Community and making a commitment to live WE every day. For every pledge taken on WE.org, $10 will be donated to local and global programs.

Across Canada, WE Day and WE Schools are supported by partners led by National Co-Title Sponsors RBC and TELUS. RBC hopes to inspire every young Canadian to #Make150Count by celebrating the contributions and community spirit of youth in recognition of Canada’s 150th anniversary; TELUS supports the We give where we live® initiative, believing in the power of technology and communications to improve the lives of Canadians.

The full list of WE Day Atlantic Canada speakers, performers and presenters, in alphabetical order, announced to date includes:

 Hani Al Moulia – Photographer, teacher and actor  Annie Barlett – Artist and social advocate  Jully Black (@JullyBlack) – Award winning singer-, speaker, SheRO & SheEO!  Joseph Boyden (@josephboyden) – Novelist and short story writer  Classified (@classified) – Juno Award-winning artist and producer  Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire (@romeodallaire)  Tyrone Edwards (@mr1LOVETO) – Much/E! host  Rick Hansen (@RickHansenFDN) – Canadian Paralympian, activist and philanthropist  Craig and Marc Kielburger (@craigkielburger) – International activists and co-founders of WE  Celebrity Marauders – DJ collective including Kardinal Offishall, Cipha Sounds, DJ Starting From Scratch and Dready  Connor McKiggan – Community changemaker and founder of the Junior High OUTreach Conference  Ashley Murphy (@AshleyRose_FTC) – ME to WE motivational speaker, WE Ambassador and HIV/AIDS Activist  Kardinal Offishall (@KardinalO) – Awarding-winning artist, radio personality, international DJ (1/4th of Celebrity Marauders) and record executive  Tyler Shaw (@TylerShawMusic) – Platinum selling and JUNO Award-nominated singer/songwriter  Liz Trinnear (@liztrinnear) – ETALK reporter and Much host  Margaret Trudeau – Celebrated Canadian, author and mental health advocate

Stay connected on the latest news and updates on WE Day: #WEDay Facebook@WEMovement Twitter @WEMovement Instagram @WEMovement Visit our Media Centre

About WE Day WE Day is part of WE—a movement that brings people together and gives them the tools to change the world. WE Day is the celebration of people coming together and filling stadiums around the globe to experience the greatest classroom in the world for a full day, live event. You can’t buy a ticket to WE Day— young people earn their entry by taking action on one local and one global cause. WE Day unites world- renowned speakers, presenters and award-winning performers with thousands of young people and families to celebrate and inspire another year of incredible change. This year alone over 200,000 young people will come together in 15 stadium gatherings across Canada, the U.S., and U.K. to take part in this unprecedented educational initiative.

WE Day is connected to the yearlong free educational program, WE Schools, which provides curriculum, educational resources and action campaigns to help students develop the leadership skills to succeed academically, in the workplace and as active citizens.

Join the WE movement today and learn more at WE.org

About RBC www.rbc.com/we

About TELUS www.telus.com/community

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For more information on WE Day or to request an interview, please contact:

Camila Ossa Associate Director, Public Relations, WE Day 1-416-885-5522 [email protected]

Rebecca Raveendran Manager, Public Relations, WE Day 1-416-346-2790 [email protected]