WE Day, an inspiring youth empowerment event and celebration of social good, returns to New York to celebrate thousands of extraordinary youth and educators from across the Tri-State area for the third annual WE Day UN on September 25, 2019 at Barclays Center. Taking place during the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), WE Day UN is held in partnership with UNAIDS, UN Global Compact and UN Women.
Students can’t buy a ticket to WE Day—they earn their way by taking action on one local and one global cause that they are passionate about. WE Day is a celebration of these year-round acts of service. The event is free of charge to students and teachers across the U.S. thanks to the generous support of partners, led by Co-Title Sponsors The Allstate Foundation, Unilever and Walgreens. Together these changemakers will enjoy a day of unforgettable performances and motivational speeches with WE Charity co-founders Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger, alongside Ally Brooke, Millie Bobby Brown, Karamo Brown, Monique Coleman, Amber Heard, Jameela Jamil, Liza Koshy, KYLE, Nick Kristof, Sadie Sink, Grace VanderWaal and more still to be announced.
“The young people at WE Day are using their voice, drive and resilience to build a better tomorrow for themselves and others. These students are encouraging each other to be the best they can be, focusing on the positive impact they can make everyday,” says culture expert, equality advocate and television personality, Karamo Brown. “It’s incredibly inspiring to see their determination to give back and empower others to do the same. We need more positivity in our world, that’s why I’m so grateful and excited to celebrate them, once again, at WE Day UN.”
The initial list of WE Day UN presenters, speakers and performers in alphabetical order, announced to date, includes:
- Appearances by: Bronx Envision Academy, Ornella Barra, Karamo Brown, Millie Bobby Brown, Jean Case, Monique Coleman, Emilio Estevez, Everybody Dance Now, Carlos Andrés Gómez, Amber Heard, Skai Jackson, Jameela Jamil, Craig Kielburger, Marc Kielburger, Liza Koshy, Nick Kristof, Ally Love, Angie Martinez, James Orbinski, Aaron Philip, Holland Roden, Sadie Sink, Margaret Trudeau, Alexandria Villaseñor, Spencer West, Isaiah Woods
- Performers: Ally Brooke, Grace VanderWaal, KYLE, Yuna
This academic year, WE joins forces with UNAIDS, UN Global Compact, and UN Women to incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into more than 20,000 schools across the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, promoting Goal #4 (Quality Education) through WE Schools, WE’s service learning program. As the UN General Assembly brings together 195 countries to debate pressing world issues, WE Day UN will motivate the next generation of global leaders to achieve the SDGs including eliminating poverty, promoting gender equality, ensuring access to clean water and ending hunger. Together WE and the UN agencies believe that young people are powerful active agents for change.
“The youth at WE Day are at the forefront of change. They are committed to tackling some of the largest issues the world has ever faced; including youth violence, climate change, and well-being, to name a few,” said WE Charity Co-Founder, Craig Kielburger. “WE Day demonstrates how important it is to empower our youth to be leaders of change by providing them with the tools and resources they need to chase their dreams—both in the classroom and out in their communities. We are honored to celebrate the efforts of the next generation and we can’t wait to once again commemorate their incredible achievements at WE Day UN.”
More than a one-day event, WE Day is connected to the free, yearlong service learning program WE Schools. Designed to enhance a school or community’s existing social initiatives or spark new ones, WE Schools provides teachers with educational resources and action campaigns to encourage students to further their curricular learning and develop social and emotional skills to succeed beyond the classroom. In the 2018/2019 school year, over 960 school groups from the Tri-State area participated in WE Schools, creating socially innovative solutions to today’s pressing issues and taking action in support of global and local causes including hunger, poverty, bullying, well-being, access to education and access to clean water in communities across the globe.
The WE Day inspiration continues beyond the live event through WE Day Connect, a free 90-minute interactive online event taking place on October 8, 2019.
WE Day is supported in the Tri-State area by co-chairs Ornella Barra, Co-Chief Operating Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance; Alan Jope, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever; Carolyn Everson, Vice President, Global Marketing Solutions, Facebook and Dean Phillips, Congressman, Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District. WE Day is supported nationally by co-chairs Tom Wilson, Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Allstate Corporation; Steve Robinson, Founder, Brewery X, and Officer, LAPD; Janet Crown, CEO/Founder, Burn 60 Studios and Jane Francisco, Editorial Director, Hearst Lifestyle Group.
