Marc Kielburger TOPICS: Children/Youth Leadership Social Issues Civil/Human Rights FEE CATEGORY:* 10.0k to 15.0k TRAVELS FROM: Toronto Video Profile Program Outlines Request This Speaker

Marc Kielburger: Profile

Marc Kielburger is an accomplished social advocate and leadership specialist, a bestselling author and a popular speaker. He is chief executive director of Free The Children, the world's largest network of children helping children through education. He is the co-founder and chief executive director of Leaders Today, the world's top youth leadership training organization.

Selected as one of Canada's "40 Top Leaders Under Forty," Marc is the youngest person ever to be awarded the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship. He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of education from Nipissing University for his work in leadership development.

Marc first became socially involved when he was 13 years old through his determination to protect the environment. He went on to serve as a parliamentary page in the Canadian House of Commons, work with AIDS patients in the slums of Bangkok, and volunteer in Kenya, where he helped local women to establish a fair trade cooperative.

Now 29 years old, Marc is a Harvard graduate and Rhodes Scholar. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, having completed a degree in international relations. After winning a coveted Rhodes scholarship he went on to complete a law degree at Oxford University with an emphasis on human rights law.

Convinced of the importance of leadership development in empowering youth, Marc co-founded Leaders Today in 1999. Leaders Today empowers young people through leadership education, providing them with the inspiration and tools to affect positive social change. The organization delivers one-of-a-kind local and international training experiences, reaching over 350,000 youth every year.

As chief executive director of Free The Children, Marc oversees a unique, youth-driven charity that has changed the lives of more than one million young people around the world. The organization has built more than 400 schools that provide daily education to over 35,000 children.

Free The Children's many accomplishments in the areas of education, alternative income, health care, water and sanitation provision and peacebuilding have earned three Nobel Peace Prize nominations, and facilitated high profile partnerships with organizations such as the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.

Marc has now traveled to more than 40 countries, visiting the world’s most underprivileged people and speaking out on a variety of social issues. He frequently addresses business groups, government bodies, educators, unions and students’ groups. A sought-after speaker, his past engagements include The Power Within speaker series tour with former U.S. president Bill Clinton.

Marc is the co-author of the national bestsellers Take Action!—A Guide to Active Citizenship and Take More Action. Together with his brother Craig he now writes a regular column for Canada's largest newspaper, the Toronto Star. His most recent book, co-authored with Craig, is entitled Me to We. This inspirational volume empowers people of all ages to live the Me to We philosophy of volunteerism, service to others and social involvement and has already spent more than 25 weeks on numerous national bestseller lists.

Marc has shown the world that young people can become the leaders of today as well as tomorrow. His work has been featured on Oprah, CNN, CBC, BBC, and profiled in numerous newspapers and magazines.

* Please note that while this speaker's specific fee falls within the range posted at the top of this page (for Continental U.S. based events), fees are subject to change without notice. Also note that most celebrity keynotes begin in the $25,000 and up range (most list "Contact for Fee Schedule"). For current fee information or international event fees, please contact your Speakers Platform representative.