...when we are together, we are the change...

I always cry at Academy. It's just a fact of my being who I am that there is always something about the power and beauty and strength of this collection of young people that will have me in tears at some point. Last night, it was the story of Mariatu, and knowing I could not have been that strong. Speaking with Lloyd afterwards, I asked him was it hard for her did he think to listen to Cheryl's and Jonathan White's speeches? He said he thought she had mostly made peace with much of what had happened. How, I didn't understand.

I may not understand how the world got to this point where we can let these things happen to beautiful girls like Mariatu, and to millions of other children around the world; how the world can sit by and let war rage, and poverty run rampant, and hunger consume - and not do anything about it. I may not understand that, but I understand the importance of gatherings like Academy for being the collection of young leaders who are working to change the world. They are standing up and saying that they want better, they want fairer. They want a more peaceful, more equitable, more just world in their future.

120 youth stood in a circle, the beginning of a demonstration by Jonathan to show how much impact one person can have. It began with one boy who said "I am one person, what difference can I make?". The person to his right joined him, and the two together said "I am one person, what difference can I make?". Then the girl to the right of these two. Again and again, we went around this circle, until finally 120 voices were saying this phrase together. Can you imagine how loud 120 voices are when raised in unison? How powerful that can be?

THIS is the difference we can make. Joe said it best - "When we are together, we are the change". This was Leaders Today Academy 2004. Every year, I am stunned by the force and strength and hope of these young people, and also by my conviction that we are making waves, and we are making changes. This is where it starts, with people coming together. And we owe the world this, really. We are privileged to live in Canada and in an affluent society, but with that comes the responsibility to use the tools at our disposal to improve the lives of people in society's that are not as affluent as we.

They tell us sometimes that we're naive, and idealistic. That we won't be able to reduce poverty or war or hunger, that we won't be able to carry out the goals that we have. Just watch us. And join us, because it is only when we work together that we can create change.