Mostafa Al-A’sar, CEO of REDWORD has been part of launching the Resilient Societies‘ flagship initiative ‘Resilience Network’, held yesterday at Massey College, University of Toronto. It was a privilege to share the stage and speak on the panel titled “#Solidarity_Across_Borders” alongside the incredible Sadia Zaman, Chris Eaton, and Sheng Xue.
Special thanks to the wonderful Omayra Issa for hosting and Rachel Pulfer, President of Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), for moderating the discussion.
During the panel, Al-A’sar addressed the human rights situation in #Egypt, focusing on the threats and challenges faced by #Journalists and #Writers. Drawing from his own experience as a former imprisoned journalist, shared the story of #Alaa_Abdel_Fattah and his family’s ongoing struggle—a poignant example of the suffering endured by tens of thousands of prisoners of conscience in Egypt. He also highlighted the extraordinary resilience of Dr. #Laila_Soueif, whose courage stands as a beacon against oppression.
He also discussed the challenges faced by #exiled_journalists, the difficulties they encounter in #Canada, the importance of continuing their journalistic work with a focus on #human_rights issues, and the ways in which exiled journalists can positively influence Canadian society.
Congratulations to Maiwand Rahyab on the successful launch of this vital initiative. We are confident it will have a significant impact at such a critical time, both in Canada and beyond. Our heartfelt gratitude to Nurjehan Mawani, C.M., LL.D (hon), Chair in Global Engagement at Massey College, for her unwavering support and efforts.
A special thank you to The Honourable Ratna Omidvar, C.M., O.Ont, former Senator for Ontario, and Odette McCarthy, Executive Director of Equitas – International Centre for Human Rights Education for their inspiring speech, and to Massey College, for hosting such an important event.
Lastly, our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to organizing this event: Mohaddeseh Abdolhosseini, Jordan MacInnis, Katie Corker, and Mujtaba Haris.
