Michel Chikwanine

Michel Chikwanine

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Toronto, Ontario

Former Child Soldier, Author, Humanitarian And Motivational Speaker

Michel Chikwanine has experienced the savagery of war first hand and has undergone unimaginable suffering. His strength and belief that ordinary people can make a difference inspire audiences around the world, making Michel an incredibly in-demand motivational speaker.

MICHEL CHIKWANINE BIOGRAPHY

A former child soldier, Michel Chikwanine has already endured and overcome unimaginable pain and struggles. His passion and belief in the possibility of change make him a truly remarkable individual and humanitarian.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Michel Chikwanine grew up amid the terror of the Great War of Africa. He witnessed the torture of his father, who was singled out for his political beliefs, and the rape of his mother and endured the torture of his own. Much of Michel’s childhood was ravaged by the death and decay of a war that claimed the lives of 6 million people, his father included.

Forced to leave his home as a refugee at the age of 11, Michel Chikwanine has since travelled to many African countries, witnessing firsthand the problems facing the developing world, but also the beauty of the communities and people who live there. Michel now inspires people to believe in their ability to make a difference and leaves audiences with a new perspective on life, a sense of hope through social responsibility and a desire for change.

Michel Chikwanine graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in Ottawa, where he won the Mousa Abdel-Hussein Memorial Award for supporting multiculturalism. He also won the Spirit of the Capital Youth Award for Personal Courage.

Today, Michel Chikwanine is a United Nations Fellow for People of African Descent, an accomplished motivational speaker and the author of a children’s book entitled Child Soldier: How Boys and Girls are used in war. Addressing audiences across North America. He has spoken to over 800,000 people and was also on Oprah’s O Ambassadors Roots of Action speaking tour, which largely reached students at resource-poor schools.

By sharing his personal story, Michel Chikwanine has captured the attention of national media, including CBC, CTV and major daily newspapers as he inspires people to believe in their ability to create change.

Michel’s speaking topics include A Journey to Hope: From Child Soldier to Activist, How Resiliency Helps Overcome Adversity, How Canadian Diversity Helped Me Succeed, Courage to Overcome Fear, Leadership and The Story of Refugee to Author: My Canadian Journey.

Michel Chikwanine leaves audiences with a new perspective on life, a sense of hope through social responsibility and a desire for change through his positivity in enacting change. His first-hand understanding of the impact of conflict on children and ability to understand social issues from a local and global perspective makes him an ideal speaker to bring across these important issues to global audiences.

Videos

Podcasts

Coming Soon!

Michel Chikwanine Topic Presentations

a journey to hope: from child soldier to activist

  • Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
  •  An uplifting and inspirational speech that will give you the tools to start making a difference today. Inspiring for all audiences

    A former child soldier, Michel Chikwanine has already endured and overcome unimaginable pain and struggles. His passion and belief in the possibility of change make him a truly remarkable individual and humanitarian.

    In this 50-minute uplifting, inspirational, and deeply personal speech that will bring forth laughter and emotions from all audiences, he details his incredible story of being a child soldier, his miraculous escape and his subsequent fight to end an issue that has affected his entire life. He details his fight with trauma and how drumming and storytelling have helped him find healing and purpose. 

how resiliency helps overcome adversity

how canadian diversity helped me succeed

courage to overcome fear

leadership

refugee to author: my canadian journey

Testimonials

Working with Michel Chikwanine and Speaker’s Spotlight has undoubtedly been the best conference keynote experience I have ever had! Speakers Spotlight provided the most efficient, upbeat and exceptionally professional service I have ever experienced. And Michel!! Wow! His presentation is so powerful; any audience would have the experience of their lives. His story, in turns breathtakingly intense, then hilarious and uplifting, makes him the most gifted speaker I have ever heard. Students loved him; adults loved him. On top of all of this, he is genuine, kind and down to earth. It was a real pleasure, and honour, to have him be such an integral part of our conference.

Social Justice Youth Conference

It was such an honor to have Michel Chikwanine present at the school and made this special day that much more special. It was certainly a full house! His speech really touched a lot of hearts as he spoke eloquently and very much from his own personal perspective and experience. He answered our student’s questions with incredible skill and wisdom, giving them practical, powerful and inspiring advice for their road ahead. He was also very generous in taking photos with the student group and scholarship winners. Michel is such a kind and impressive young man.

Bodwell High School

Hi, Michel Chikwanine my name is Ricci I had the privilege of meeting you today, I’m not sure if you will remember me as you met so many other people today. I just needed to say how much newfound strength your story gave me, it is something that is truly close to my heart. and that you have an amazing heart and soul and so very much to show and teach the world. It is people like you that are keeping this generation empowered and inspired. I hope dearly that I get to see you again. 🙂

Ricci Kaplan

Your presentation at the Faith Meets Pedagogy was so inspiring! I have watched you online before, but seeing you in person was a completely different experience! Your story is so courageous and I know today you inspired me and so many other kids! Thank you so much for coming! ♥ 🙂

Grace Enns

Michel Chikwanine, thank you so much for coming to Minot State and sharing your story with us. I was moved and inspired by your courage and faithfulness to carry on your father’s legacy. God bless you as you continue your journey and I’m so happy that you and your family have been reunited.

Ann Mason Rivera

Michel Chikwanine, I heard you speaking at Friends University in Wichita, Ks. Tuesday evening and want to thank you and encourage you to continue with your speaking engagements. Not only is your story heartbreaking, but it is also a reality that needs to change. God Bless you and your family Michel.

Terri Lee Fikes

Articles & Media

Coming Soon!

Books

Child Soldier
Child Soldier
Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War

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How to book Michel Chikwanine for an event?

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Interested in booking Michel Chikwanine for an event?

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How much does it cost to hire Michel Chikwanine for a keynote presentation or virtual event?

Michel Chikwanine is an expert professional key note speaker with a lot of experience speaking and delivering engaging talks to organizations and audiences in Canada. Each of Speaker Bureau Canada's talent have different ways to assess their fees, and Michel Chikwanine speaker fee ranges depending on the size of the audience, event format (in person or virtual), event location, and if the organization booking them is a non profit, association, government department/government agency or business/corporation. The speakers we work with are flexible with their fees, and it is important for us to learn more about your event before we approach them, as it is our role to work for you, and to help you find a speaker within budget. 

Please contact Speakers Bureau of Canada and provide us with your event details so that we can contact Michel Chikwanine to check availability or confirm the pricing and associated costs to hire a great speaker like Michel Chikwanine for your event. As Michel Chikwanine's agent and as a Canadian top speaker bureau and talent agency for speakers, we are able to propose each event opportunity from each host organization's behalf to try to help you get in touch with Michel Chikwanine and confirm them for your in person or online meeting/event. We can also provide and advise on the booking process and potentially negotiate their fee. Speakers Canada is a client focused speaker agency, and we work for you in finding good speakers for your team meetings and booking processes.

Michel Chikwanine Disclaimer

Speakers Bureau Canada assists companies and event planning teams seeking to hire talent like Michel Chikwanine for speaking engagements, virtual meetings, conference appearances, training sessions and workshops facilitations. Our Canadian speakers bureau does not claim to exclusively represent Michel Chikwanine, however they are represented by Speakers Canada, and we work with them closely for their Canadian speaking opportunities and bookings. As Canada's top speaker bureau, we represent Canadian motivational keynote speakers and professional guest speakers that will be available on your upcoming events date and location that are withing the budget. Our talented bureau speaker booking agency can help find business speakers or celebrity speakers that aligns with each organization, audience, event theme and the topic themes you hope for the speaker to address in their presentation. 

When SBC receives a request to book Michel Chikwanine we provide you with their speaker fees, travel costs and check their schedules. We work closely with the host organization's event planning team and the speaker to handle the logistics and to relay or negotiate associated costs. Our talented team members then will work with our talent directly or their agent/manager/assistant to confirm the Canadian speaker fee and travel expenses, so that event planning teams can receive an official quote for the speaker appearing at the event. Speaker fees and travel costs vary per speaker and our role is to contact Michel Chikwanine about your event, after we have connected with the event organizers to learn all the event details and/or conference program. Each booking request is unique since session durations and audience sizes can vary which may affect the speaker's fees. If you are looking to hire Michel Chikwanine, we recommend filling out the booking request form so a booking agent from Speakers Bureau Canada can get in touch with our talent to help you coordinate with your team to engage the speaker for a successful event.