August 12, 2026

How the famous Roots & Shoots chant came to be: “Together, we can! Together, we will!”

Photo: Liz Vogel

Dr. Jane always, always, always said that young people gave her hope — they were one of her top reasons for hope, actually.

When she once heard them chant “Together, we can!” she knew that they — that we, that all of us — could save the world. But would we?

Would all of us get involved? Would all of us do our bit? Would all of us remember that we can make an incredible difference?

Watch this video to hear more from Dr. Jane:

As we celebrate International Youth Day today, let’s also chant “Together, we can! Together, we will!” And let’s continue to be inspired by all of the students and other young leaders who are taking action.

To learn more about some of the work that these young leaders are doing, day in and day out, make sure you are following us on social media — we’re posting as many projects as we can! And to learn more about how you can get involved yourself, head on over to RootsAndShoots.ca. We can’t wait to hear from you.