Craig Kielburger

Craig Kielburger (December 17, 1982- ) is a Canadian humanitarian and activist for children's rights, with child labor in particular, most famous for forming a non-profit organization, Free the Children at the age of 12, with two of his friends. He was inspired to start this organization after reading an article in the Toronto Star newspaper about a youn child labourer named Iqbal Masih from Pakistan who, after escaping from bondage, was murdered for speaking out against child labour. He is from Thornhill, Ontario. Craig has been three times nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is currently studying at the University of Toronto taking Peace and Conflict Studies.

The CBC News "Top 100 Canadians" distinction incorrectly suggests that Kielburger was born in 1984. He was actually born two years earlier. When he started Free the Children, nobody in the organization was above the age of 18. Today, Free The Children is still a youth-driven organization, with a network of one million children around the world. Craig has also started several international organizations with his brother Marc, one of which include Leaders Today, a leadership training and networking organization helping to educate youth to the injustices in the world, and empowering them to become leaders to make progress to stop the hatred.