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Mubarak Awad is internationally renowned as a leader, an activist, a passionate advocate of non-violence, and as a tireless worker for children and youth. Born in Jerusalem in 1943, Dr. Awad, a Palestinian-American, teaches in the department of International Peace and Conflict Resolution at American University. He is the founder and President of Nonviolence International (http://nonviolenceinternational.net) and founder and retired director of the National Youth Advocacy Program (www.nyap.org).
Dr. Awad was in Kosovo to conduct training with the Kosovo government. He made time to visit Balkan Sunflowers’ Fushe Kosova Learning Center and meet with 75 staff and youth volunteers working in the four BSF learning centers. Dr. Awad talked about his own situation of growing up in a conflict situation, family tragedy, losses, and dislocation, and his dedication to non-violence. He stressed the importance of learning, getting an education, and believing that it is possible to do something useful and positive with one’s life. He described as well the various multiple strategies that might be called on to save a young person, and get them on the right path. He also stressed the positive roles the youth in the meeting can play in their own communities and the practicality of activism and advocacy in daily lives. BSF staff were warmly appreciative that Dr. Awad had visited, of his example, and of his encouragement for their own paths. |
What we did 
