Senator and Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire receives an honorary medal for his peace efforts.
Montreal, November 13, 2009 -
Today, The YMCAs of Québec unveiled
the names of the five 2009 Peace Medals recipients, who were selected from the
17 nominees in the running. It’s during this 22nd annual ceremony
that exceptional individuals who have thought about peace, demonstrated it, and
inspired it at the local, national, and international levels, had their
contributions publicly recognized.
“On behalf of The YMCAs
of Québec, I am pleased to highlight the exceptional contributions of the 2009
Peace Medals recipients, whether it is at the local, national, or international
levels. In their own way, each has given their heart and soul to bring greater equality
and peace to our communities. Their courage and determination is a source of
daily inspiration, and I am certain that it will incite other members of the
community to take action. Peace initiatives are a priority for YMCAs nationwide,
and Peace Week is celebrated in all of the Ys across ”, stated
Daniel Boisvert, Chair of the Board of Directors of The YMCAs of Québec.
Recipients of the 2009 Peace Medals
Local category
Adult
Halah
Al-Ubaidi: Mrs. Al-Ubaidi organized, strengthened, and helped make
various local focus groups in the borough of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce more dynamic.
She also works to help immigrant families break out of their isolation, and
chairs the Homework Help committee.
Group
Leadership Services Youth and
Sexualization Project: this program presented by
the YWCA is a project aimed at raising the
awareness of young girls and women regarding violence and sexual abuse, while
preventing the hypersexualization phenomenon in society.
International category
Adult
Noreen Majeed: Mrs. Majeed has
participated in many projects aimed at eliminating racism in Montreal. She has also taken part
in various international support groups.
Group
Exeko: Exeko is an organization
that works both at the local and international levels, by supporting or
carrying out projects that combine social and cultural action. Exeko’s
initiatives are linked to many causes: education, arts and culture, and health.
Youth
Claudine-Michèle
Desjardins: Mrs. Desjardins lived in for three months in order
to help women create a micro-credit organization, which allowed them to become
financially independent. She is also a member and founder of the Association des simulations de l’ONU for
francophone high school students.
Senator and Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire
During the ceremony, an honorary medal was also
awarded to Senator and Lieutenant-General Roméo
Dallaire in recognition of his commitment to maintaining peace at the local,
national, and international levels. A respected member of the international
community, Roméo Dallaire had a distinguished career in the Canadian military
reaching the rank of Lieutenant-General before becoming Assistant Deputy
Minister (Human Resources) in the Department of National Defence in 1998. Since his retirement from the Canadian military,
Senator Dallaire has worked to raise the public’s awareness and to promote
peace. Notably, he has been a lecturer at Canadian and American universities,
he has published several articles on conflict resolution, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, genocide prevention, and has taken a stance during
the civil war in . He has also worked to bring an understanding to the
Canadian population regarding post-traumatic stress disorder.
Senator Dallaire was said to be honoured to receive
the 2009 Peace medal. “I am
touched to be receiving this award from my very own community. Making peace,
promoting it, inspiring it; it can be achieved daily through small and grand
gestures. I work to promote peace; something I believe in deeply. I also work
with conviction in order to ensure that our children, who are the future
generations of Canada or of other countries, live in a world where peace is
fundamentally, universally, and absolutely valued. I would like to congratulate
the seventeen 2009 Peace Medal nominees, in their respective categories. You
have made a difference in the promotion of peace, and this is something worth
recognition and the respect of your peers” he stated.
About The YMCAs of Québec
The first YMCA in North America
was founded in in
November 1851. The mission of this
charitable organization is to promote the development of people in spirit,
mind, and body, and to the empowerment of individuals, families, and
communities. Its ten centres are visited
each year by more than 100,000
people who benefit from its health, fitness and recreation, and education and
training programs, as well as its children and youth programs, its community
and international initiatives, and its donations and volunteering. The YMCAs of Québec is part of the Canadian
network of 54 YMCA
associations. For more information, please visit www.ymcaquebec.org.
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Source: The
YMCAs of Québec
Information:
Ève
Cardinal / Charles Durivage
Morin
Public Relations
Telephone:
514 289-8688, ext. 234 / 227
Cell: 514
219-5442 / 514-894-4186
eve@morinrp.com / charles@morinrp.com
