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Hundreds of students from the Greater Toronto Area assembled at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto yesterday afternoon for Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center's (FSWC) annual Freedom Day event, with thousands more from across Canada tuning in virtually from their classrooms.

In its 14th year, Freedom Day 2023 inspired students to be upstanders against hate and take a stand for freedom, justice and human rights in their communities. The program also celebrated the life and legacy of Holocaust survivor, human rights advocate and Nazi-hunter, and the namesake of FSWC, Simon Wiesenthal, on the anniversary of his passing.

The event, MC'd by TV personality Rick Campanelli, featured a series of uplifting speakers and performers. These included Indigenous social media influencer and traditional hoop dancer Notorious Cree, Holocaust survivor Hedy Bohm, Juno Award-winning reggae musician/singer Kairo McLean and Speaker’s Idol finalist Sonya Kovtun, who gave their perspectives on what freedom means to them and shared advice on actions everyone can take to raise their voices and make a positive difference in the world.

"I’m a firm believer in the power of one," Hedy Bohm told the students after recounting her poignant story of having her freedom brutally taken away by the Nazis during the Holocaust. "One human being can make a difference in the world."

Thank you to all the students, teachers, school board and city leaders, Holocaust survivors and community members who attended yesterday's Freedom Day event - both in person and virtually. And a big thank you to our featured speakers, performers and MC for inspiring the students and sending a strong message that today's youth have the power and responsibility to make a positive change and build a better future for all.

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Missed Freedom Day? Watch it below!

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Thank you to our sponsors who made Freedom Day 2023 possible

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