WINNIPEG, MB – On Saturday, October 2 at 11:15 am in Convocation Hall at The University of Winnipeg, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger will inaugurate the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award, being presented to Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish. Abuelaish is a Palestinian medical doctor born and raised in a refugee camp, and is the author of I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s Journey. He is a strong advocate of peace between Palestinians and Israelis.
Celebrating the Diversity of Winnipeg
Dr. K. Dakshinamurti, founder of the Award and co-founder of The Mahatma Gandhi Centre of Canada said, “This is the perfect occasion on which to inaugurate this Award, celebrating the diversity of Winnipeg and welcoming hundreds of peace educators who are here to attend the international Peace and Justice Studies Association conference, hosted by Menno Simons College and The University of Winnipeg Global College.”
Palestinian Advocate for Peace
After three of his daughters and his niece were killed during the Israeli incursion into Gaza in January of 2009, Dr. Abuelaish has continued to advocate for peace. “All it takes for evil to survive is for good people to do nothing,” he said.
Dr. Marilou McPhedran, Principal of the Global College said, “The University of Winnipeg is honoured to welcome Premier Selinger, members of the Indo-Manitoban and other Winnipeg communities to join with our students and distinguished peace scholars in marking Gandhi’s birthday with this new Award.”
Dr. Richard McCutcheon, Dean of Menno Simons College and the PJSA Conference Chair, noted the strong connection between research being presented at this conference and the work of dedicated advocates like Dr. Abuelaish, “In order to build on the lessons of the past, we need to look both to academics and activists.”
Dr. Randall Amster, Executive Director of the PJSA, noting that this is the first time the conference has been held outside of the USA, said, “We firmly believe that by coming together to explore just and peaceful strategies for achieving security and honoring identity, we can help foster a climate in which our differences are seen as strengths and the crises we face become opportunities for mutual engagement and innovation.”
The conference, jointly sponsored by the Peace and Justice Studies Association, Canadian Mennonite University’s Menno Simons College, and The University of Winnipeg Global College, is a gathering of top experts in the field of peace and justice studies. This year’s conference focuses on the theme of Gender, Identity, and Security in the Search for Peace.
Dr. Abuelaish received his Masters in Public Health at Harvard, and currently serves as associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
The Award Ceremony begins at 11:15 am on Saturday, October 2, 2010, in The University of Winnipeg Convocation Hall, second floor of Wesley Hall, 515 Portage Ave., and will include introductory remarks by Professor Michael Nagler of the University of California at Berkeley. Light refreshments will be served.
For information on the PJSA conference, please contact:
Caitlin Eliasson, pjsainfo@uwinnipeg.ca, 791-4688
Richard McCutcheon, r.mccutcheon@uwinnipeg.ca, 953-3871
