Entertainment

Kate Winslet calls on young people to change the world for WE Day

Kate Winslet calls on young people to change the world for WE Day
Kate Winslet calls on young people to change the world for WE Day Kate Winslet calls on young people to change the world for WE Day

Actress Kate Winslet will be encouraging school children to change the world as one of the high-profile supporters of a charity’s call-to-action day.

The Oscar-winner will take the stage at The SSE Arena, Wembley on March 22 to rally young people to make a positive difference in their communities and globally by tackling issues including diversity, homelessness and access to clean water.

Other famous names speaking or performing at the WE Day event include The Vamps, Jessie J, Paula Abdul, X Factor star Fleur East, Margaret Trudeau, Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, TV presenter Becca Dudley, singer Tallia Storm and DJ collective Celebrity Marauders.

Kate Winslet (Matt Crossick/PA)

Titanic star Kate said: “There is a lot of negativity in the world today. Whether at school, on social media, or in the news – it’s easy to get weighed down by it all, and easy to forget one’s true self.

“But when people from all walks of life come together to achieve a common goal, real strength in unity can happen, and change can have its place.

“That’s what WE Day is – young people, coming together, to make positive change in the world.”

The organisation WE, which aims to give people the tools to make a change to the world, was founded by brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger.

Jessie J (Ian West/PA)

Craig said: “Standing in an arena full of passionate young people will affirm your belief that real change can happen – and is happening every single day right here in the UK.

“This past school year more than 3,075 schools across the UK made an incredible impact in their own local area and in communities around the world through their commitment and passion for change.”

Tickets to WE Day cannot be bought and are given out free to students and teachers who have earned a place at the event through the year-long WE Schools programme.

The programme supports student-led campaigns for their schools’ social initiatives.

Fleur East (Matt Crossick/PA)

Campaigns in the UK during the 2015/2016 school year included sponsored walks for clean water projects and school hall sleep-ins to raise awareness about homelessness.

WE is sponsored by Virgin Atlantic.

Globally, it has signed up 2.4 million young people who have raised £63.9 million for more than 2,500 local and global organisations, volunteered 27.8 million hours for local and global causes and collected over 3.4 million kilograms of food through active citizenship programmes.

WE Day takes place this year in 16 stadiums across the UK, Canada and the US.