Governor General’s Youth Dialogue

During their visit to Moncton, Their Excellencies, accompanied by Marie-Éden, hosted a Youth Dialogue. Earlier in the day, in a speech she gave during her visit to Moncton’s City Hall, the governor General expressed how happy she was to meet young Acadians. “I believe young people must have the necessary means and resources to share their perspective and to help find solutions to the problems that plague our communities and the entire planet. It is essential that their points of views are taken into account in decision-making processes.”

The theme of this Youth Dialogue was on arts as a tool to promote peace and solidarity. The discussions took place at the Aberdeen Culture Centre in the presence of the coach Russ Howard, Gold Medallist Curler at the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino.

The young participants, from various backgrounds, exchanged their own different experiences. Having made youth one of the priorities of her mandate, the Governor General inaugurated the Youth Dialogues series in 2007, providing young Canadians with a space to voice their opinions on social transformation and to pursue this dialogue on the Citizen Voices Web site.

Through the series of Youth Dialogues, Canadians are encouraged to become catalysts for hope and social transformation in their communities.

The ways of communicating are as diverse as the participants themselves. The poet Éric Cormier is among the young artists who participated in a Youth Dialogue on arts as a tool to promote peace and solidarity.

Some preferred dancing to talking. Thanks to the dynamic participants, the youth dialogue on peace building and solidarity that took place in Moncton was full of energy!

Visiting all Canadian regions, Her Excellency is engaging Canadians in a dynamic dialogue on the power of youth arts to promote peace and solidarity in our society. She is building on the discussions that have taken place across Canada and has embarked on a national Can We Talk tour for 2009.