Media

OTTAWA, April 12, 2011  —  From April 22 to May 11, thousands of Canadian youth will be able to follow two students from the School of Human Kinetics of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Élise Desjardins and Francesca Trentadue, in real time, as they take part in the Garnier FindingLife Expedition to Africa, led by their professor, Norm O’Reilly.

Media is invited to the official expedition launch, which will take place April 12 in Alumni Auditorium, at the University of Ottawa.

Elia Saikaly, expedition leader and founder of FindingLife, and his team have planned an expedition which involves not only youth participation and character-building, but also education, hands-on research, social entrepreneurship and adventure. Over twenty days, participants will build classrooms, work with Kenyan students and climb Mount Kenya.

Throughout the expedition, a film crew will follow the adventurers. Thanks to technology, the team will share its experiences with thousands of young Canadians in real time. As well, on April 26, a friendly international soccer tournament will take place simultaneously in Canada and Kenya. Follow the action at www.findinglife.ca.

The students and Professor O’Reilly will join a team of six Ottawa-area high school students led by Elia Saikaly and Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, correspondent for eTalk, on CTV.

WHAT: Official launch of the Garnier FindingLife Expedition to Africa

WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: University of Ottawa, Alumni Auditorium, 85 University, University of Ottawa (Campus map)

The launch will feature the following:
• The documentary FindingLife – The Movie, produced by expedition leader and founder Elia Saikaly, in which he follows the footsteps of his mentor, the late Sean Egan, right to the top of Mount Everest, and offers a first-hand account of this memorable trip to the Himalayas
• A talk after the screening by Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, expedition co-leader and Quebec correspondent for CTV’s eTalk
• Presentation of the expedition team, made up of Ottawa-area high school students, along with students and their professor from the Faculty of Health Sciences, to close the launch

FindingLife is a not for profit organization that combines adventure, education, technology, film and charitable initiatives to inspire others to FIND their most meaningful LIFE and spark positive world change.

For more information visit www.health.uottawa.ca/life/index.htm.