Visit to Winnipeg - Day 1

In celebration of 50 years of challenging young people in Canada, the Governor General presented The Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award of Achievement to 25 young people from across the province of Manitoba in recognition for their dedication and personal accomplishments within their communities.

Later on, His Excellency visited the office of The Ladybug Foundation and met with its founder, Miss Hannah Taylor.

Miss Taylor explained how The Ladybug Foundation raises funds and awareness for the homeless.

Organized by United Way of Winnipeg, this discussion focused on defining meaningful youth involvement, identifying challenges faced by youth and how to address them, and finding new, innovative ways to help them succeed in their endeavours.

His Excellency listened to their views and ideas on the importance of building a smarter, more care community.

The Governor General talked to the 75 youth present about the importance of building a smarter, more caring community.

On June 5, 2013, His Excellency arrived at Fort Gibraltar for a round table on youth engagement. He was greeted by Ms. Linda Brazier, from United Way of Winnipeg and Ms. Susan Vardon, from United Way of Toronto.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award encourages youth between the ages of 14 to 25, to pursue activities in four areas: Community Service, Physical Recreation, Skill Development, and an Adventurous Journey.

"The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a wonderful tribute to the talent and determination of youth," said His Excellency. "In Canada alone, more than 500,000 youth have been recognized by this honour—which means you are now part of a massive network of remarkable Canadians!"

"Young people today are coming of age in transformative times, marked by rapid change and shifting demographics," added His Excellency. "But you are also a vital source of ideas, renewal and optimism for our society. Your energy and contributions are essential to the smarter, more caring nation that we aspire to build."

They were then joined by students and teachers who are benefitting from the foundation’s educational resources.