[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/craig.jpg” caption=”Free the Children founder Craig Kielburger addresses a crowd.”]While searching for the comics in his local newspaper one day, Craig Kielburger came across the story of a young boy who had been sold into slavery as a carpet weaver, escaped, and was murdered when he tried to speak out against child labour. The story so shocked Kielburger, who was 12 at the time, that he relayed the story to his friends the next day at school, and began a campaign to advocate for the rights of children.

Now 21, Kielburger will speak to McMaster students in the atrium of the McMaster University Student Centre on March 22 at 1 p.m. about the social activism he champions as head of Free the Children.

His visit is sponsored by the Ontario Public Interest Research Group at McMaster.

In nearly 10 years later, Kielburger has taken his message to more than 40 countries, and created a grassroots campaign to eradicate child labour. As head of Free the Children, an organization he founded, Kielburger frequently addresses business groups, government bodies, educators, unions and students around the world. He has advocated on behalf of children in meetings with political and religious leaders including prime ministers and presidents, CEOs of major corporations, Pope John Paul II, the Dalai Lama, Queen Elizabeth II and the late Mother Teresa. Kielburger's work has been featured on major television programs in North and South America and Europe, including CNN, the Oprah Winfrey Show and 60 Minutes. Craig has received numerous awards and citations for his work in developing countries.

Kielburger's first book, Free The Children, was published by Harper Collins, and has been translated into eight languages. He and his older brother Marc have written a new book, We to Me: Turning Self-Help on its Head. Kielburger will be signing copies of his book at the McMaster event. Since 1999, the Kielburgers have travelled to schools, businesses and church groups with their Leaders Today program, instructing children how to be active participants in fighting child labour and poverty.

Free the Children has grown into an influential international children's organization with more than one million children and youth in its projects. Youth members of FTC have raised funds for the construction of more than 400 primary schools in the rural areas of developing nations, providing education every day to over 35,000 children. They have distributed more than 200,000 school and health kits in 38 countries and in excess of $8-million worth of medical supplies to needy families in 13 countries. FTC currently supports portable water projects, health clinics, alternative income cooperatives and primary schools in 21 developing nations.

FTC's advocacy campaigns have led Canada, Mexico and Italy to pass legislation in order to better protect sexually abused children. It has lobbied corporations to adopt labels for child-labor free products. Free the Children was selected in 2001 by the United Nations and the Office of the Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict to be the lead NGO coordinating youth outreach for the decade of peace and non-violence towards children.