Eighty high school students from Nova Scotia and countries including, Korea, Germany, Czech Republic, Mexico and the U.K. will gather for a two-day conference on democracy and active citizenship beginning today, Oct. 17, at the Annapolis Basin Conference Centre in Cornwallis.

Sponsored by Democracy 250 and EduNova, and organized by the University of Kings College, the conference, entitled Democracy 250: International Student Leadership Conference in Support of Active Citizenship, will include a variety of workshops, seminars and group discussions. Among the topics are the evolution of parliamentary democracy in Canada, leadership in active democracy, and the roles of the media and judiciary in a democracy.

Participating students, selected by their schools and local school boards for leadership potential, will be engaged in an interactive program that encourages them to share experiences and perspectives on active citizenship.

Democracy 250 co-chair John Hamm said: "Bringing Nova Scotia students together with their counterparts from around the world enables them to learn from each others experiences, and gain an appreciation for each others histories."

Media Contact: Moira MacLeod
              Democracy 250
              902-424-1122
              E-mail: macleoml@gov.ns.ca