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WE Day

WE Day is a powerful celebration dedicated to empowering young people to make a positive impact in their communities and around the world. While specific dates can vary, the event brings together inspiring speakers and performers.

Charity Education Life & Living55

Marketing angleinferred

Align your brand with youth activism and social impact by sponsoring or partnering with WE Day to reach engaged Gen-Z and teen audiences during their peak activism season.

Relevance 55medium intent

Feature your CSR initiatives alongside WE Day's global impact stories
Host a youth-led social change challenge tied to WE Day momentum
Spotlight student activists and changemakers in your community during March
Partner with WE Charity to co-create educational content on social entrepreneurship

History

WE Day was founded in 1995 by Canadian brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger with the goal of empowering young people. Initially part of the “Free The Children” movement, it evolved into a global event celebrating youth activism and social change.

By 2008, the Kielburger brothers were recognized for their efforts with awards like the E&Y Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2015, the charity transitioned to “WE Charity.”

This transformation reflects its broader mission beyond children’s rights, including global development and youth empowerment.

WE Day events were characterized by their stadium-sized gatherings, which attracted tens of thousands of students each year. These events were not only celebrations but also platforms for learning and advocacy.

They addressed important issues like cyberbullying, child labor, and environmental conservation. The participation was unique in that students could not buy tickets. In fact, they had to earn them through their service projects, emphasizing the charity’s ethos of active citizenship.

Unfortunately, in September 2020, WE Charity announced the end of its Canadian operations due to a scandal.

It also marked a pause in WE Day events as known at the time. Despite this setback, the charity’s impact over the years remains significant, with millions of dollars raised and countless volunteer hours contributed to local and global causes.

FAQ

How does youth civic engagement actually benefit communities in measurable ways?

Research on youth civic engagement finds that when young people are meaningfully involved in local projects, communities see concrete gains such as increased volunteering, more responsive local institutions, and higher social trust. For example, the UN’s World Youth Report notes that youth participation in civic life can improve policy outcomes on issues like education, employment, and health, especially when young people work directly with local authorities or civil society groups rather than only through short‑term campaigns. Longitudinal data, such as the Commonwealth’s Global Youth Development Index, also show that countries with stronger youth participation tend to have better scores on social cohesion, peace and security, and inclusion.

What distinguishes meaningful youth activism from one‑off charity or “feel‑good” events?

Scholars of youth political participation point out that meaningful youth activism usually includes three elements: young people identify the problem themselves, they help decide on strategies, and they stay involved over time in evaluating what worked. In contrast, “feel‑good” models tend to frame young people mainly as volunteers or audiences, focus on easily packaged actions like short campaigns or donations, and offer little say over goals or decision making. Research from the European Democracy Hub notes that when youth participation is limited to symbolic or inspirational moments, it risks becoming “performative inclusion” instead of real influence on policy or power structures.

How can schools support youth-led social action without it becoming purely symbolic?

Evidence from service‑learning and youth leadership studies suggests that schools are most effective when they embed social action into regular teaching rather than treating it as an add‑on event. Good practice includes giving students real choice over the local and global issues they work on, connecting projects to curriculum topics, and supporting reflection about power, inequality, and long‑term impact. A Canadian government review of the WE Schools / We Act programming, which ran in thousands of schools, highlights that structured resources, educator training, and a clear framework for local and global action helped large numbers of students engage in year‑long projects rather than just attending a single celebration.

Is youth activism mostly driven by social media trends and “slacktivism”?

Peer‑reviewed research finds that while social media can spark interest, it is rarely the only or main driver of sustained youth activism. A study in Frontiers in Political Science on climate‑related youth protests found that participants were motivated more by concern about injustice, support from peers and families, and a desire for real political impact than by online trends alone. Social media often serves as an organizing tool and a way to share stories, but young activists typically combine online activity with in‑person protests, community meetings, mutual aid, and other offline work.

Why do some adults underestimate the seriousness and impact of youth activism?

Education research shows that adults often frame young people as “citizens‑in‑the‑making,” which leads to youth voices being taken seriously only on narrow “youth issues” such as school life, while dismissing their input on broader topics like climate, economics, or urban planning. Studies of former student leaders in social justice education report that their activism was sometimes trivialized or treated as a phase, and they were expected to “pay their dues” in adult‑led groups rather than be equal partners. Policy analysis from the European Democracy Hub similarly notes that institutions often invite youth to highly visible events or consultations, but offer limited real decision‑making power, which feeds the perception that their activism is mostly symbolic.

What are some risks or pressures that young activists commonly face?

Young activists frequently encounter emotional strain, time pressure, and backlash from peers or adults who disagree with their causes. A review of youth social justice activism published in an education journal found that young leaders reported burnout, online harassment, and conflicts with family expectations, especially when they took on highly visible roles. At the same time, they described strong benefits such as a sense of purpose, community, and political efficacy. Researchers emphasize that supportive adults, attention to mental health, and shared leadership inside youth groups can reduce these risks while allowing young people to stay engaged over the long term.

How can communities move beyond “spectacle” events to support long‑term youth-led change?

Commentators and researchers suggest combining large inspirational gatherings with slower, less visible work that gives youth real ownership. A teacher’s detailed critique of a major youth‑change rally in Canada noted that the event excelled at energy and production value but did little to show the hard, ongoing work of organizing. Academic and policy studies on youth democracy recommend follow‑up structures such as local youth councils, participatory budgeting, mentoring for young organizers, and funding for youth‑run groups. These approaches give young people decision‑making power and resources, so the excitement of a big event becomes a starting point rather than the main outcome.