NEW DELHI: Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, a Canadian retired television host and, former wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, delivered an impassioned address at the UN Headquarters today, highlighting the need for redefining safety, addressing trauma, and empowering the next generation.
WATCH HERE: Sophie Trudeau: Redefining Safety, Resilience & Connection | We The Planet 100 Disruptors Summit
She spoke alongside global impact leader Kunal Sood and journalist Rohan Dua in a session on human resilience and the future of learning.
“Safety and trust and trauma are not just something bad that happened to you in your lifetime. I’m sorry if it did, because that’s a lot of people in this society. But trauma is also something that should have happened that didn’t take place. We are creatures of connection. And safety is not just the absence of a threat, but it’s the presence of connection. That’s what true safety is,” Sophie said.
Invoking a Cheyenne proverb, “in the end, we will love what we understand and understand what we have been taught,” she stressed that education must teach people to understand themselves and their humanity.
Grégoire Trudeau also raised concerns about generational divides, noting that “aging is treated as an insult” while children and teenagers are being deprived of essential experiential learning.
Citing research on brain development between ages six to ten, she warned that excessive screen exposure and lack of time in nature may be eroding resilience.
“When children fall, climb, or explore, they learn the resilience needed for adulthood. But when we intervene too much, their brains are not learning the risk-taking and recovery that prepares them for life,” she explained.
ALSO READ: Julia Jackson Calls for Service to Mother Earth at UN 100 Disruptors Summit
She also touched on gender inequality, calling it a paradox that “half of the population, women and girls, are still denied their most basic rights simply because of who they are.”
Speaking about the impact of technology, Grégoire Trudeau cautioned against “dopamine highs” linked to constant screen use and social media.
She pointed to new research, referencing the book “Dopamination”, which explains why teenagers may find relaxation “boring” due to neurological wiring.
Her remarks tied neuroscience, education, and gender justice into a larger appeal for safeguarding democracies through empathy, resilience, and inclusion.
We The Planet UNGA 100 Disruptors Summit was moderated and chaired by Kunal Sood, founder and executive chairman of We The Planet, who brought together global leaders, innovators, and changemakers to share bold ideas for shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.
