Food for thought: Toronto youth meet peers from Tanzania to discuss global food crisis

World Vision Youth Empowered leadership conference brings 200 students
    togetherTORONTO, Feb. 25 /CNW/ - Toronto youth welcome Grace Makundi, 16, and
Baraka Musa, 14, visiting student leaders from Tanzania, for the fifth annual
Youth Empowered leadership conference to discuss how to take action against
hunger, poverty and injustice.
    More than 200 Toronto students are expected to participate in World
Vision's Youth Empowered leadership conference, the final of four national
events taking place in major cities across Canada including Ottawa, Vancouver
and Winnipeg.WHAT:     An award-winning, high-energy event that educates local youth
              about pressing global issues through interactive workshops and
              discussions. With the global food crisis threatening to push
              35 million children deeper into poverty, this year's conference
              will focus on the global food crisis and how youth can take
              action to help millions of people meet the basic necessities of
              life.

    WHEN:     Thursday, February 26, 2009
              Conference registration: 8:00 a.m.
              Workshop sessions: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

    WHERE:    World Vision Canada Head Office
              1 World Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2Y4

    WHO:      Students from schools in the Toronto area
              Special guest speakers Grace Makundi and Baraka Musa, student
              leaders from Tanzania
              Taslin Alani, World Vision Youth Ambassador from Toronto

    WHY:      World Vision will be engaging youth on global issues and
              encouraging them to take action against hunger, poverty and
              injustice by providing them with the tools and resources
              necessary to strengthen their leadership skills and make a
              difference in the world.Thousands of Toronto students join the fight against hunger by
participating in Canada's longest running youth action campaign, the World
Vision 30 Hour Famine every year. More than 100,000 Canadian youth will
participate in the World Vision 30 Hour Famine again this year, April 3-4,
2009. Their goal is to raise $5 million for projects in areas most devastated
by the global food crisis.

    World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization
dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome
poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion,
race, ethnicity or gender. To learn more about World Vision, please visit
www.worldvision.ca.

For further information: or to arrange an interview contact: Karen
Flores, [phone] ext. 3497, [phone] (cell),
[e-mail]; Corina Chevalier, [phone] ext. 3899,
[e-mail]