Keynote Speaker Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish

THUNDER BAY – Living – Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee with a powerful and moving message, will be the keynote presenter at Diversity Thunder Bay’s upcoming International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) Celebration Breakfast, scheduled to take place March 20 at the Victoria Inn.

Now known simply as “the Gaza doctor”, Dr. Abuelaish captured hearts and headlines around the world in the aftermath of horrific tragedy:  on January 16, 2009, Israeli shells hit his home in the Gaza Strip, killing three of his daughters and a niece.  But it was his response to the loss of his children that made news and won him humanitarian awards around the world.  Instead of seeking revenge or sinking into hatred, he wrote a book entitled “I Shall Not Hate” which has become an international best seller.  In this personal account, Dr. Abuelaish calls for the people of the Middle East to start talking to one another.

Peace Message Transcends Borders

Breakfast planning committee chair Tina Tucker says that Dr. Abuelaish’s message transcends borders.

“In every community where there is racism and discrimination, we need to begin to build bridges through understanding,  compassion, respect and communication.   Dr. Abuelaish will deliver that message from the heart”, she said.

Dr. Abuelaish has been named one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims, has been interviewed by Anderson Cooper, Christiane Amanpour and Sir David Frost, among many others, and has given speeches at the Canadian House of Commons, the American Congress and the European Parliament.

Abuelaish now lives with his five children in Toronto where he is an associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.

Tickets for the IDERD Celebration Breakfast are available for purchase online at www.diversitythunderbay.ca