Youth leaders from the Art of Living Foundation joined the United Nation’ s STAND UP TAKE ACTION Campaign in October 2008 in an effort to raise awareness of the UN Millennium Development Goals. This collective effort empowered more than two thousand students and young professionals across Canada to come together and take a stand against poverty.

Seven cities across Canada took part in STAND UP TAKE ACTION initiatives. Halifax, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Windsor, and Vancouver each organized STAND UP TAKE ACTION awareness walks in their respective city centers. Other activities included pledges being read at high school assemblies in both Montreal and Vancouver, as well as university classroom presentations in Vancouver and Windsor.

The collective STAND UP TAKE ACTION effort of 2,000 Canadian youth through YES!+, The Art of Living youth group, coincided with the efforts of millions of people across the globe,who came together on October 16 to show their commitment to the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals of Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger, Achieving Universal Primary Education, and Ensuring Environmental Sustainability.

The initiative and enthusiasm of its youth team volunteers contributed to the success of the Art of Living STAND UP TAKE ACTION Campaign across Canada.