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| Thanks to Fred Martin Director of Development at Conrad Grebel University College (CGUC) at University of Weterloo and a very fine friend took this photo yesterday with Prof. Lowell Ewert, Director of Peace and Conflict Studies program of CGUC and Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish founder of the Daughters for Life Canada and who is also Nobel Peace Prize nominee. |
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| Jeanette and Lowell |
Dr. Abuelaish's three daughters, Bessan, 21, Mayar, 15, and
Aya, 13 were killed by Israrel's tanks on January 15, 2009 in their home.
"That heartbreaking tragedy came minutes before Dr. Abuelaish
spoke live on an Israeli TV program. His anguished cries for help captured hearts
and headlines in Israel and around the world. It was Abuelaish’s response to
the loss of his daughters that won him humanitarian awards around the world.
Instead of seeking revenge or sinking into despair and hatred, Dr. Abuelaish
has called for the people of the Middle East to stop the bloodshed and start
talking to each other. The Daughters for Life Foundation was established in
memory of Bessan, Mayar and Aya and seeks to honour their love of life and
learning and their hopes and dreams for an educated future.
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| Dalala at the right (photo by the star -Toronto) |
Dr. Abuelaish founded the Daughters for Life Foundation for
empowering girls and young women through education to develop strong voices for
the betterment of life throughout the Middle East. Last night (May 28, 2914),
the Foundation raised a handsome money for girls education by selling over 400
tickets @$300 each along with many sponsorships and auctions. There were fine
reflections from Dr. Abuelaish, Shatha and Dalala the two
daughters of Dr. Abuelaish.
Dr. Abuelaish told me that he wants to keep his
education and scholarship program for the girls and women of Middle East. He
also keeps it apolitical. Dr. Abuelaish also told me that his
daughters Dalal and Shatha are highly impressed with the work and
resilience of Malala and they both love Malala.
Here are remarks by the Governor General of
Canada, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor
General on while receiving his Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from the University of
King’s College Halifax, Nova Scotia, Thursday, May 15, 2014.
[There is power in education, and one of my fellow honorary
recipients today gives us perhaps one of the most affected interpretations of
this. I speak, of course, of Malala Yousafzai. I hope the other recipients on the stage will forgive me for
focusing on Malala, but her story is unique and reflects how important
education is for all societies.
By now, we all know something of her story. This young woman
selflessly risked her life to speak out about the importance of education,
specifically for girls. For those of us here, it is difficult to imagine what
it would be like to have our freedom of education taken away. But for Malala,
this was a fact of life, and she was determined to change it. She has reminded
us that education is an inalienable right, one worth every risk.
At her address to the United Nations last year, Malala said:
“…Let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One
child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education
is the only solution.”
There is a lot we can learn from this young woman. And
incidentally, the reason she is not physically here with us today is because
she did not want to disturb her studies. I think that speaks volumes about her
dedication to learning.
I am also delighted that King’s College will be launching
the Malala Yousafzai Canada Scholarship. To give young women in developing
nations an opportunity they would not normally receive, that is the essence of
Malala’s message—and Canada’s message as well. (http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=15622)]
I hope there will be opportunity that Dalala,
Shahta and Malala meet for the shared cause when Malala comes to Canada
for receiving her honourary Canadian Citizenship in Fall 2014.
Malala has become the sixth international figure to
receive honorary Canadian citizenship. The honour was previously bestowed on
Nelson Mandela, Raoul Wallenberg, the Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi and the Aga
Khan.
