Craig Kielburger

Craig Kielburger is an accomplished child rights advocate, leadership specialist, New York Times best-selling author and a speaker with a powerful message. He is the founder of Free The Children, the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, and the co-founder of Leaders Today, a world renowned youth leadership organization. He has a degree in peace and conflict studies from the University of Toronto and is the recipient of four honorary doctorates.

Craig has received many awards for his work, including the Nelson Mandela Human Rights Award, the World Economic Forum GLT Award, the Roosevelt Freedom Medal, the State of the World Forum Award and the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, also known as the Children’s Nobel Prize.

When Craig was 12, he was shocked to learn about the murder of a child laborer-turned-child rights activist. Eager to take action, he established Free The Children to help free children from poverty, exploitation and powerlessness. The organization began as a small group of classmates and quickly evolved into an international phenomenon.

Under Craig’s leadership, Free The Children has now changed the lives of more than one million young people around the world. The organization has built more than 450 primary schools, providing daily education to more than 40,000 children.

Free The Children’s many accomplishments in the area of education, alternative income, health care, water and sanitation provision and peacebuilding have earned four Nobel Peace Prize nominations and facilitated successful partnerships with leading school boards and Oprah’s Angel Network.

Convinced of the importance of leadership development in empowering youth, Craig co-founded Leaders Today in 1999. Leaders Today empowers young people through leadership education, providing them with the inspiration and tools to affect positive social change. The organization delivers one-of-a-kind local and international training experiences, reaching more than 350,000 youth every year.

Now 24, Craig has traveled to more than 50 countries, visiting underprivileged children and speaking out in defense of children’s rights. An internationally renowned speaker, Craig frequently addresses business groups, government bodies, educators, unions and students. He has shared the podium a number of times with former U.S. president Bill Clinton, as well as with such world renowned leaders as Queen Noor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama.

Craig’s first book, Free the Children, won the prestigious Christopher Award and has since been translated into eight languages. He is co-author of the bestsellers Take Action! - A Guide To Active Citizenship and Take More Action. His most recent book, Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World, is co-authored with his brother Marc Kielburger and is published by Simon & Schuster. This inspirational volume empowers people of all ages to live the Me to We philosophy of volunteerism, service to others and social involvement. Together with Marc Kielburger, Craig also writes a regular column for Canada’s largest newspaper, the Toronto Star, and for Canada’s most widely read women’s magazine, Canadian Living.

Craig has shown the world that no one is ever too young to make a difference. His work has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, BBC, 60 Minutes and profiled in The Economist, Time and People magazines and numerous newspapers.

MOST REQUESTED TOPICS:
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.

In the 2004 Cone Corporate Citizenship Study, 80% of those surveyed said corporate commitment to social issues wins their trust in a company—a 21% increase since 1997 81% reported that it affected their decision about where to work 70% claimed it influenced their decisions about where to invest 86% suggested they would switch from one brand to another of the same price and quality if associated with a cause In an increasingly competitive world, great corporate citizenship is not just good for business—it’s essential for survival.

Brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger can provide your company with the guidance it needs to become a world-class corporate citizen, showing you how your company can benefit from their Me to We philosophy of social responsibility.

As founders of a trio of highly successful international organizations—Free The Children, Leaders Today and Me to We—these world-renown social entrepreneurs have the energy, expertise and experience to put your organization on the path to great corporate citizenship.

With three Nobel Peace Prize nominations, high profile partnerships with organizations including the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network, and four best-selling books, Marc and Craig know how to connect people with the issues that matter. To date, they have changed the lives of more than a million people around the world.

A corporate session with Marc or Craig is a truly unforgettable experience. Adopting a high-energy approach that has captivated audiences worldwide, these youthful visionaries 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.

Participants will have a unique opportunity to learn how to transform your company’s corporate culture and motivate colleagues to join them in their mission. Discussion of key secrets to success will empower audience members to realize major benefits of corporate social involvement, including:

• Reputation management • Innovation and learning • Employee satisfaction • Financial performance

Participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve results—allowing your organization to remain a step ahead of the competition through a commitment to social responsibility. All those who attend Marc or Craig’s corporate sessions leave energized, inspired and empowered to take action to build great corporate citizenship in the workplace.

Me to We: Educating Creative, Compassionate,and Committed Young Leaders
It isn’t easy to be a young person these days. Students struggle to cope with the realities of inequality, poverty and violence, in their own communities and across the globe. They are often portrayed as uninterested in the world around them, and considered incapable of taking action to change it for the better. The fact that young people are frequently on the receiving end of so much in our society—be it advice, instruction or homeworkoften reinforces their feelings of insecurity and powerlessness.

Today, young people can benefit from giving help as much as they can from receiving it. Helping others enables youth to connect with a variety of people, develop new skills, and prove themselves worthy of trust. Studies show that students who volunteer get better grades, are less likely to drop out of school, and have higher self-esteem and better attitudes towards society. Young people who are involved in their communities tend to be more productive, and less likely to make harmful decisions. In a world rife with challenges, it is now more important than ever that educators empower students to embrace social involvement.

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.

As founders of a trio of highly successful international organizations—Free The Children, Leaders Today and Me to We—these world-renown youth empowerment specialists have the passion, expertise and experience to motivate educators to inspire students, and equip them with the tools they need to be successful.

With three Nobel Peace Prize nominations, high profile partnerships with organizations including the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network, and four best-selling books, Marc and Craig know how to connect people with issues that matter. To date, they have changed the lives of more than a million people around the world.

In their session for educators, Marc and Craig present participants with a unique opportunity to learn how they an empower students to transform their lives through reaching out to others. The program for this session is based on curriculum developed by Leaders Today, the world’s most innovative youth leadership training organization.

A session with Marc or Craig is a truly unforgettable experience. Adopting a high-energy approach that has captivated audiences worldwide, these youthful visionaries will discuss their own personal paths from Me to We, and the way this journey has shaped their lives. Participants will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to educate creative, compassionate, and committed young leaders. All those who attend Marc or Craig’s sessions for educators leave energized, inspired and empowered to take action!

Me to We: How Communities of Faith Can Create Positive Social Change
Today, popular ideas about the meaning of “happiness” and “success” are taking their toll on people’s spiritual health. In today’s fast-paced world, life’s greater meaning and purpose often seems to be slipping away as people pursue material abundance at the expense of spiritual growth. In the race to get ahead, many people are losing sight of the values that have sustained communities throughout the ages. After a visit to North America Mother Teresa once observed that she had never seen such an abundance of material things. But she had also never seen such “a poverty of spirit, of loneliness, and of being unwanted.” Those of other faiths could surely agree.

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.

As founders of a trio of highly successful international organizations—Free The Children, Leaders Today and Me to We—these world-renown social entrepreneurs have the passion, expertise and experience to inspire people to embrace community involvement and equip them with the skills they need to succeed in the truest sense of the word.

With three Nobel Peace Prize nominations, high profile partnerships with organizations including the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network, and four best-selling books, Marc and Craig know how to connect people with the issues that matter. To date, they have changed the lives of more than a million people around the world.

A session with Marc or Craig is a truly unforgettable experience. Adopting a high-energy approach that has captivated audiences worldwide, these youthful visionaries will discuss their own personal paths from Me to We and the way in which this journey has helped them to discover the true meaning of their faith. Weaving together anecdotes from their travels to more than 40 countries, inspirational stories for those who already live the Me to We philosophy, and personal insights about the importance of service to others in spiritual growth, Marc and Craig motivate audience members to translate their faith into positive social change.

In this powerful session, participants will be presented with a unique opportunity to learn how to transform the world—and their own lives—through reaching out to others. Marc and Craig will discuss the importance of faith as a foundation for positive social change, and share specific strategies for successful social involvement, empowering audience members to create the kind of change that enables people to live spiritually fulfilling lives.

Me to We: How University Students Can Create Positive Social Change
Me to We: How Youth Can Take Action to Build a Better World For All
Me to We: Living a Healthier Life Through Social Involvement
Me to We: Achieving True Well-being - Through Social Involvement

**FEE NOTE:  Discounts available for Non-Profit and Education Groups.  Special fee for appearances with Marc Kielburger.