Craig Kielburger

Craig Kielburger co-founded Free the Children in 1995 at only 12 years of age. Today, he remains a passionate full-time volunteer for the organization, now an international charity and renowned educational partner that empowers youth to achieve their fullest potential as agents of change.

As the world's largest network of children helping children through education, the organization has worked in 45 countries and built more than 650 schools and school rooms in developing regions, providing education to more than 55,000 children every day. Free The Children delivers innovative programming that educates, engages and empowers hundreds of thousands of youth in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Free The Children has a proven track record of success, having formed successful partnerships with top school boards and leading corporations—among the most notable, a joint project with Oprah’s Angel Network called O Ambassadors. The program educated, engaged and inspired more than one million young people across North America to take action to help their underprivileged peers overseas.

Craig is also the co-founder of Me to We. An innovative social enterprise, Me to We provides people with better choices for a better world, including socially conscious and environmentally friendly clothes and accessories, as well as life-changing international volunteer trips, leadership training programs and materials, an inspirational speakers bureau, and books which address issues of positive social change. In addition, half of Me to We's net profit is donated to Free The Children, while the other half is reinvested to grow the enterprise and its social mission.

Craig is a syndicated columnist and New York Times bestselling author who has written eight books. His latest, released in June 2011, is the children’s book Lessons from a Street Kid.

Craig has a degree in peace and conflict studies from the University of Toronto and is the youngest-ever graduate of the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA program. He has received ten honorary doctorates and degrees, The Roosevelt Freedom Medal, The World Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child (often called the Children's Nobel Prize) and is one of the youngest recipients of The Order of Canada. He serves on a number of boards and award committees, including the Board of Governors of Scouts Canada. Craig's work has been featured on multiple appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, 60 Minutes and The Today Show; and in People, Time and The Economist.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

www.kielburger.org

• 1. Me to We: How One Person Can Make a World of Difference

  How do you find purpose in today's world? How can you leave a legacy while balancing the challenges of modern life? A powerful experience for people of all ages, this speech introduces the remarkable story of how Craig and Marc founded Free The Children, which has grown into an international humanitarian organization active in 45 countries.

  Discover the Me to We philosophy, developed by Marc and Craig through more than a decade of humanitarian work as encapsulated in their New York Times bestseller Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World. Audiences will learn how to use the Me to We philosophy to make a real difference and create their own unique path that will leave a positive mark on the world.

• 2. Quiet Heroes in Haiti

  On January 12, 2010, Haiti was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake just 15 kilometers from its capital of Port-au-Prince. Since the late '90s, Free The Children has worked in the country building schools. Craig Kielburger immediately joined his team on the ground with a convoy of supplies for Haiti's earthquake region.
  
  Craig and team witnessed the devastation, extreme poverty and logistical complications of the short-term relief effort. As well, they spoke to Haitians about their hopes for their country and development in the long-term. Through the stories of Haitians emerging as quite heroes in their communities, Craig will describe themes of international development, leadership in extraordinary hardship, and finding hope amid crisis.
  
  Highlights and Take-aways:
  
  

  ·In-the-field accounts of delivering emergency aid and reconstruction
  ·Original pictures and video
  ·Engaging and grounded in current events and social issues
  

• 3. Me to We: How Youth Can Take Action to Build a Better World For All

  It definitely isn't easy to be young these days. Youth struggle to cope with inequality, poverty and violence in their own communities and across the globe. These huge social issues can seem daunting—young people may dream of a better world, but how can they truly make a difference? Popular stereotypes about youth apathy don't help. Neither does the fact that young people are on the receiving end of so much in our society, whether it's help, instructions or homework. It's all too easy for youth to feel that they don't have the power to make a difference—and won't until they finally "grow up". Brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger have spent their lives encouraging young people to take action to build a better world for all. Having experienced the amazing benefits of community involvement, they are dedicated to empowering young people to live the Me to We philosophy of social involvement, volunteerism and service to others.

• 4. Me to We: How Communities of Faith Can Create Positive Social Change

  In a world brimming with challenges, it is vital that communities of faith lead the way towards positive social change. Many such communities are renowned for their charitable work, and their dedication to helping the world's less fortunate. For many, reaching out to others is a way of life and an article of faith. In an age where many people question their deepest convictions, service to others can provide new hope and reason to believe. Although many communities of faith are eager to take action, many are uncertain about how to proceed. Brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger can provide communities of faith with the guidance they need to create positive social change.

• 5. Me to We: How University Students Can Create Positive Social Change

  Marc and Craig will discuss the meaning and implications of global citizenship in today's changing world, and consider some of the many incredible opportunities that emerge through social involvement and service to others. They will also instruct audience members in the fundamentals of social advocacy, sharing practical lessons learned during their years of social involvement. As participants continue their studies or embark on their careers, they will do so with a fresh understanding of their own potential, equipped with all of the tools necessary to become true global citizens.

• 6. Me to We: Living a Healthier Life Through Social Involvement

  Marc and Craig will share specific strategies for successful social involvement, empowering audience members to create the kind of positive social change that enables people to live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

• 7. Me to We: Building Great Corporate Citizenship and Global Leadership

  Today great corporate citizenship is becoming more important than ever as people demand that the companies they buy from, work for and invest in recognize the importance of social responsibility. Adopting a high-energy approach that has captivated audiences worldwide, Marc and Craig will discuss their international experiences, share key case studies and provide audience members with specific recommendations that will allow them to make your company a global leader in corporate social responsibility.

• 8. Me to We: Educating Creative, Compassionate and Committed Young Leaders

  Brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger can empower educators to bring character education, social responsibility and leadership training into the classroom, helping students and educators alike to live the "Me to We" philosophy of social involvement, volunteerism and service to others.

• Craig has become a Pied Piper, inspiring students in hundreds of schools across the United States and Canada to join his crusade

  The New York Times

• Marc and Craig have individually and together spoken at many of our events, including multi-city speaking tours with former president Bill Clinton, Dr. Phil and Anthony Robbins. Most venue sizes are 4000+ people with audiences comprised of entrepreneurs, business managers, human resource professionals and senior sales associates. Their message is very powerful for a business audience and they bring a refreshing authenticity to any event. We only work with the very best speakers in the world and they are consistently ranked amongst our top-rated speakers.

  Power Within Inc.

• Craig, the commitment, the passion, the love that you all project and share is contagious and inspiring. I know that because of your speech, our wonderful students will go on to continue to make a difference in the world with this additional inspiration and spirit. Thank you.

  Cornell University

• Our guests were so enamoured by Craig. His energy was contagious. Everyone loved his comments…and thought he was one of our finest speakers to date. He held everyone’s attention and had a GREAT personal way about him—great personal touches. He spoke to everyone with the right message. He spoke most appropriately to the setting…and our donors, board members, and volunteers were very impressed. We were all impressed too. So glad we were lucky enough to secure Craig as our speaker this year.

  Greater Louisville Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals

• I have hosted Craig for special events at two separate occasions and he has in both cases been enormously successful, not just in educating, exciting and entertaining a group, but much more uniquely in inspiring a group to action. One of the audiences was the San Diego Chapter of YPO [Young Presidents’ Organization], and this particularly discerning group rated Craig and his team our strongest event in the entire year.

  Young Presidents’ Organization, San Diego

• 
  August 2009

  The World Needs Your Kid

  Inside this guide to parenting is a profound philosophy that encourages children to become global citizens. Drawing on life lessons and success stories Marc and Craig Kielburger demonstrate how small actions make a difference in the life of a child and ultimately change the world.

  
  
• 
  June 2009

  Take More Action

  Take More Action is our advanced guide to global citizenship, empowering young people to be world-changers-around the world or in their own backyard.  Brilliantly illustrated and packed with powerful quotes, stories and resources, Take More Action includes invaluable material on character education, ethical leadership, effective activism and global citizenship.

  
  
• 
  September 2007

  Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World

  For everyone who has ever yearned for a better life and a better world, Craig and Marc Kielburger share a blueprint for personal and social change that has the power to transform lives, one act at a time. Me To We is an approach to life that leads us to recognize what is truly valuable, make new decisions about the way we want to live, and re-define the goals we set for ourselves and the legacy we want to leave.

  
  
• 
  December 1999

  Free the Children: A Young Man Fights Against Child Labor and Proves that Children Can Change the World

  
  
• 
  November -0001

  Me to We: Turning Self Help on its Head

  
  
• 
  November -0001