Thousands of B.C. students were invited to Vancouver's Rogers Arena on Thursday to take part in We Day, a star-studded annual event for youths who have volunteered, fundraised and otherwise contributed to their communities.

Over the last year alone, students from 920 schools across the province volunteered more than 750,000 hours and managed to raise $2 million for various charities. Here's a perspective on this year's event from one of those students, Saarah Rasheed. 

The co-founders of the Me to We movement, brothers and humanitarians Marc and Craig Kielburger, came to We Day with a message: that "one united force driving social change" can create a global difference. With this premise they have created 12,300 We Schools across Canada and the U.S., challenging young people to grapple with issues such as poverty and hunger.

Mayor Gregor Robertson and Premier Christy Clark discussed issues affecting the Vancouver population. The homeless and hungry in the city are a reminder that we don't have to travel far to make a change.

Canadian YouTube stars JusReign and Lily Singh also made an appearance, showcasing their passion for humanitarianism and what they've done for the Me to We movement. Singh’s mission to end girl-on-girl hate was summed up in her closing phrase, "We need to come together not only as women, but as humanity." 

Many young people with inspiring success stories were given the chance to share this We Day 2016. People like Annie Bartlett, Jacob Tremblay and Ta’Kaiya Blaney proved there is nothing that your age or title can do to prevent you from creating a difference in this world 

Mental health advocate Margaret Trudeau, mother of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, shared her personal experience dealing with mental illness. She advised people who are suffering from mental illness to get medical help from doctors and to lean on their family. Her final message to the crowd in Vancouver was to "have a healthy, healthy mind and you will have a great time as a Canadian."

Popular celebrities like Paula Abdul, the famous singer and choreographer, and George Takei, activist and former Star Trek actor, shared their own stories about making a difference in this world with hopes of inspiring the young people attending We Day.

Chief Perry Bellegarde and Mike Downie, brother of Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie, emphasized the importance of reconciliation with First Nations communities. They spoke of the trials indigenous people have been through, especially involving residential schools. Bailegarde’s powerful message, “be the change you want to see,” resonated with the crowd well.

Toward the end of the day we heard Teresa Yan, Amanda Lee and Anika Nicholson, senior students from Richmond's Robert A. McMath Secondary, explain their experience at We Day. "It was so inspirational because of all the energy and definitely memorable because we had the chance to be involved," they said. 

In concluding comments during interview sessions, Margaret Trudeau joked to Craig Kiehlburger, “If you guys were around when my boys were kids they might have grown up to be leaders or something!” Whether they will utilize the advice given today to become a future Prime Minister or simply a volunteer, everyone left the event a little more inspired.