YMCA Peace Medal Breakfast: A Morning of Leadership and Hope

We recently had the privilege of attending the YMCA Peace Medal Breakfast as part of YMCA Peace Week, an event dedicated to recognizing individuals and groups working to build a more just and compassionate world.

The morning brought together community leaders, educators, and students, all focused on the shared goal of creating meaningful change. Each speaker offered a different perspective, but the overall message was clear: progress happens when people take responsibility and act.

Margaret’s Legacy was honoured to be nominated for a Peace Medal, and to be included among a group of individuals and organizations doing important work in our community.

The keynote address was delivered by Samantha Nutt, whose work in conflict zones around the world brought a broader global perspective to the morning. Her remarks emphasized the importance of moving beyond awareness toward action.

Recognizing Student Leadership

One of the highlights of the event was the recognition of the Youth Group Peace Medal recipients: the Global Connect class from Dundas Valley Secondary School.

Their work began with a simple but meaningful question: how could they make a positive difference in the world? That question led to the development of the C.H.A.N.G.E. the Way conference, a student-led initiative focused on human rights and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The students planned and executed a full-day conference for more than 700 participants, managing everything from logistics to programming. Their work demonstrated not only initiative, but a deep commitment to learning, collaboration, and impact. Margaret's Legacy participated in and presented at the conference and supported the students leading up to it.

Their teacher, Pieter Toth, played a key role in guiding and supporting the students, helping them translate their ideas into action. These are the kinds of educators who really make an impact. 

An Earlier Connection to Margaret’s Legacy

Margaret’s Legacy had the opportunity to work with some of these students earlier in their journey, at a time when they were navigating experiences of antisemitism in middle school.

Through education and dialogue, we worked with their school community to address those challenges and create space for understanding. The impact of that experience stayed with them and they credited Margaret’s Legacy, at least in part, with their decision to take on a large-scale, student-led initiative focused on human rights. This reflects how providing meaningful support and education at the right moment can shape future leadership.