On May 7, teenage girls in Kamloops will get the 411 on girls’ rights.
Through 411 TV: Because I Am a Girl, a program delivered in TV talk show format, girls across Western Canada will learn about access to education, early marriage, violence against girls and self-esteem issues. The show will use video, music and theatre to share firsthand stories of young girls that surround the key topics. It will be shown at 10:30 am in Valleyview Secondary School (1950 Valleyview Drive).
“Young people get a lot of their information through television; we wanted to capitalize on this popular medium through the creation of an innovative 411 branded TV talk show,” explains 411 President Sterling Downey. “We took a lot of inspiration from watching shows like The Hour, Oprah and Tyra Banks. We are honoured to be working with Plan Canada to incorporate their international content into the program. Through the wonders of new media, we can create the concept of live-to-air taping with satellite feeds for guest interviews.”
The show will be hosted by journalist Nana Aba Duncan. MTV Canada hosts Nicole Holness and Aliya-Jasmine Sovani will be part of the show through pre-taped segments. They will share stories of girls living in Haiti and Sudan that illustrate the larger issues affecting girls globally. Canadian hip-hop artist Masia One will also take part by performing and sharing her personal experiences with the audience.
“Girls have a unique power to bring about social change. We’ve seen it in the developing world and it’s true of girls here in Canada whose social conscience and networks can raise the profile of this issue with the public and policy makers,” said Rosemary McCarney, president and CEO of Plan Canada. “Plan is proud to partner with 411 to mobilize Canadian girls to lead the charge on getting Canadians to understand the importance of rights for girls around the world and what they can do to support them.”
The show is expected to reach about 10,000 female students across Western Canada, including Victoria, Vancouver, Kamloops, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw and Winnipeg.
The program is sponsored by youth-led organization The 411 Initiative For Change (411) and Plan Canada, an international development agency.
Visit www.whatsthe411.ca and www.plancanada.ca for more information.
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