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Over 3,500 youth from across Canada will be learning about the characters, political circumstances and social activities that forged the beginnings of Canada, when they participate in the PEI 2014 educational module at the Encounters with Canada program in Ottawa.

Through a partnership with PEI 2014, Encounters with Canada (EWC) is offering an interactive education module about the 1864 Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences, and PEI’s role as the Birthplace of Confederation, within its 2013-14 program. The PEI 2014 educational module is funded through the Department of Canadian Heritage.

“We are pleased to invest in the development of an educational module on the 150th anniversaries of the 1864 Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences, which will take place in 2014, ” said the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages. “It’s important that students from all across Canada are educated about these historical events and the significant role they played in the creation of our country.”

Held at the Terry Fox Canadian Youth Centre, Encounters with Canada is our country’s largest and foremost youth forum. Every week of the school year, 120 to 148 students between the ages of 14 and 17 from across Canada go to Ottawa where they discover Canada through each other, learn about Canadian institutions, meet famous and accomplished Canadians, explore exciting career options, develop civic leadership skills and live an extraordinary bilingual experience.

The PEI 2014 educational module began in early September 2013 and will continue until May 2014. “The students have been responding very enthusiastically to this module,” says Encounters with Canada Director General, Linda Brunet. “They are showing a genuine interest in learning about Canadian history and the important conferences of 1864 that paved the way for Canadian Confederation.” EWC is a program of Historica Canada, Canada’s largest independent organization dedicated to Canadian history, identity and citizenship.

“This is an excellent opportunity to reach young Canadians from different backgrounds and regions of the country,” says Tourism and Culture Minister, Robert Henderson. “We hope these students will take away a greater understanding of their country and a desire to visit Prince Edward Island in 2014 to discover the birthplace of Confederation, first-hand.”

In 2014, Canadians will mark the 150th anniversary (Sesquicentennial) of the historic 1864 Charlottetown Conference, which paved the way to Confederation. PEI 2014 Inc. is facilitating the planning, promotion and implementation of the Sesquicentennial celebrations. The PEI 2014 celebrations are made possible through generous support from the Government of Prince Edward Island and the Government of Canada. The year-long and province-wide PEI 2014 program of events will honour the past, celebrate the present and plan a bold tomorrow.