Zendaya, Jason Derulo, Macklemore, Lilly Singh, Hedley, Winnie Harlow, Chris Hadfield, Penny Oleksiak and More Join 20,000 Local Youth at WE Day Toronto to Celebrate Young People Changing the World

TORONTO, ON --(Marketwired - October 05, 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 Toronto on October 19, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre. 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. In partnership with MTV, and alongside partners led by National Co-Title sponsors RBC and TELUS, WE Day Toronto will bring together more than 20,000 change-makers alongside inspirational speakers and world-renowned performers to celebrate their commitment to taking action on local and global causes they are passionate about and inspire another year of change.

WE Day Toronto will be taped for a special broadcast premiering Monday, November 28, 2016 at 11 p.m. ET on MTV and Much. The special encores the following day at 8 p.m. ET on MTV, and Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 7 p.m. ET on CTV.

Taking the stage this year is a cast of new faces and returning WE Day favourites, including Jason Derulo, Macklemore, Lilly Singh, Hedley, Winnie Harlow, Chris Hadfield, Penny Oleksiak, Jacob Tremblay, Paula Abdul, Margaret Trudeau, Jordan Smith, Bridgit Mendler, Bailee Madison, Mia Farrow, Kweku Mandela, Connor Franta, Michael "Pinball" Clemons, DEGRASSI's Ana Golja and Richard Walters, Spencer West and more. Hosted by Zendaya and Co-hosted by ETALK reporter and Much host, Liz Trinnear and E!/Much host, Tyrone Edwards, this star-studded lineup joins international activists and WE co-founders, Craig and Marc Kielburger, to share their passion for change, international experiences, and energize the crowd with unforgettable performances and motivational speeches.

"I always love coming to WE Day because of the community it brings together," said Grammy-award winning hip-hop artist, Macklemore. "Every young person that comes is full of passion and is determined to take collective action on the most important issues in our world."

Making WE Day a true community celebration of youth taking action, local Ontarians with inspiring stories join the WE Day Toronto lineup, including Ashley Murphy, age 18. Born to a mother who struggled with various addictions, Ashley was born with an HIV infection which quickly progressed into AIDS, causing her to fight for her life in a hospital at just six weeks old. Ashley has been living openly with HIV since the age of seven, and speaks publicly about HIV awareness and stigma. Ashley has spoken across North America, in Europe and Kenya, sharing her story of perseverance and courage in the face of bullying, exclusion and discrimination. Ashley is just one of the many young people who will share their stories to motivate their WE Day peers.

"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 Ontario. This past school year more than 2,400 schools and groups around the province 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 Ontario participated in remarkable social change. More than 2,400 schools groups in the province improved the world through WE Schools, volunteering over 1.8 million hours and raising nearly $5 million in support of local and global causes. Students from Sir Wilfred Laurier Collegiate Institute have been living WE by taking on a range of initiatives through WE Schools to support their school and community. Recently, students organized "Hoops for Health", a tremendously successful annual student and teacher basketball game which promoted healthy active living, plus raised funds and awareness for health related projects in Rural China communities.

Across Canada, WE Day and WE Schools are supported by partners led by National Co-Title Sponsors RBC and TELUS. RBC is helping youth believe in themselves, take on leadership roles and be inspired to take action to make the world a better place, and TELUS supports the We give where we live® initiative, believing in the power of technology and communications to improve the lives of Canadians.

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 voted in the last national election (if over 18 years of age). Globally over 2.4 million students are part of the WE Movement, taking part in 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, you 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.

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.

WE has been empowering young people to transform communities at home and around the globe for over 20 years-now the movement is empowering families across the country to live WE. The first ever WE Day Family event will take place October 19 at 6:15 p.m. ET at the Air Canada Centre following WE Day Toronto. WE Day Family will feature inspirational speakers and world-renowned performers, coming together to share their personal stories of leadership and triumph including Lilly Singh, Nelly Furtado, Barenaked Ladies, Paula Abdul, Rick Hansen, Margaret Trudeau, Mia Farrow, Chris Hadfield, Joe Roberts, DEGRASSI's Chelsea Clark and Dante Scott, Hani Al Moulia, Vishal Vijay and more. Hosted by The Social's Melissa Grelo, Cynthia Loyst, Lainey Lui and Marci Ien, WE Day Family is designed to help families bring the power of change into their homes by bonding around causes that truly matter, raising caring and compassionate children, and setting them on a path for success.

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

• Paula Abdul (@PaulaAbdul) - American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality
• Hani Al Moulia - Photographer, teacher and actor
• Hannah Alper (@ThatHannahAlper) - Blogger, ME to WE motivational speaker and WE Ambassador
• Katie Armstrong (@sickkids) - SickKids Ambassador
• Bishop Marrocco Soccer Team (@bmtmathletics) - TDCAA Champions and community changemakers
• Celebrity Marauders - DJ collective including Kardinal Offishall, Cipha Sounds, DJ Starting From Scratch and Dready
• Michael "Pinball" Clemons (@theMPCF) - Co-Founder, Michael "Pinball" Clemons Foundation
• Jason Derulo (@jasonderulo) - International singer-songwriter
• Faith Dickinson - Founder of Cuddles for Cancer
• Tyrone Edwards (@mr1LOVETO) - E!/Much host and co-host of WE Day Toronto
• Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) - Award-winning actress and activist
• Connor Franta (@entrepreneur, author and creator) - Entrepreneur, author and creator
• Ana Golja (@TheAnaGolja) - Cast member from the Emmy-nominated TV series DEGRASSI and singer/songwriter
• Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) - Astronaut, author, professor, musician, first Canadian to walk in space/command a spaceship
• Winnie Harlow (@winnieharlow) - International model and activist
• Hedley (@Hedleyonline) - Multi-platinum, JUNO and MMVA Award-winning recording group and WE ambassadors
• Craig and Marc Kielburger (@craigkielburger) - International activists and co-founders of WE
• Macklemore (@macklemore) - Grammy-award winning hip-hop artist
• Bailee Madison (@BaileeMadison) - Actress on The Fosters and Good Witch
• Kweku Mandela (@kwekumandela) - Social advocate and filmmaker
• Jessica Mayes - Environmental sustainability advocate, co-founder of Pierson School's Social Justice Group and Sustainability Group
• Bridgit Mendler (@bridgitmendler) - Singer-songwriter and actress
• Machel Montano (@machelmontano) - Soca artist, songwriter, record producer and actor
• Ashley Murphy (@TheAshleyRose__) - ME to WE motivational speaker, WE Ambassador and HIV/AIDS Activist
• Penny Oleksiak (@OleksiakPenny) - Canadian competitive swimmer and tour-time Olympic medalist
• Lilly Singh (@IISuperwomanII) - Comedian, actress and YouTube entertainer
• Jacob Tremblay (@JacobTremblay) - Multi-award winning actor
• Liz Trinnear (@liztrinnear) - ETALK Reporter, Much Host and co-host of WE Day Toronto
• Margaret Trudeau - Celebrated Canadian, author & mental health advocate
• Vishal Vijay (@ItsVishalVijay) - Founder & CEO of EveryChildNow
• Jordan Smith (@JordanSmithLive) - Republic Records artist and winner of The Voice
• Richard Walters (@TinyRWalters) - Cast member from the Emmy-nominated TV series DEGRASSI and singer/dancer
• Spencer West (@spencer2thewest) - ME to WE motivational speaker, WE ambassador and author
• Wilson & Jackson - The last Maasai Warriors
• Brennan Wong (@_brennanwong) - Founder of Pledges for Change
• Zendaya (@Zendaya) - UNAIDS ambassador, singer and actress

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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/community-sustainability/

About TELUS
www.telus.com/community