A new Canadian organization is to be launched this fall in response to a dramatic spike in antisemitism, hate, intolerance and a global decline in human rights.
The Abraham Global Peace Initiative will be a global voice for humanity and will project Canadian values of freedom, peace and human rights into global hotspots, its founders said Wednesday in a press release.
A high-profile group of Canadian and international leaders is assembling around the initiative with the objective of moving the needle when it comes to combating international antisemitism, standing up for Israel and advancing global human rights.
The initiative’s president, Mark Teitelbaum, is a well-respected community and business leader.
“Nearly all my extended family was murdered in the Holocaust,” he said. “I know we cannot rest on our laurels. We need new and innovative approaches to protect our freedom. The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is truly unique in its ambition to bring people who want to make the world a better place together.”
“We are surrounding ourselves with competent leaders, a strong governance body that is taking its time to build a new world-class organization that will honor the past and preserve the future,” Teitelbaum said. “The world is our oyster, and no matter where you are on the planet, we invite you to join us.”
Founder and chairman Avi Abraham Benlolo said he wants to change the paradigm in Canada and around the world when it comes to human rights.
“We are going to take our time to build a solid institution and implement a long-term vision and strategy that will start changing the global narrative,” he said.
“Over the next decade, we aim to bring Canada to the world by building chapters everywhere, partnering and collaborating globally, educating widely, fighting antisemitism and Holocaust denial [and] implementing the momentum of the Abraham Peace Accords to reinforce efforts to build peace, as we strive to ensure Canada and Israel remain strong and secure,” Benlolo said. “We want to surround ourselves only with the best people.”
Canadian icon Paul Godfrey will serve as the organization’s honorary chairman.
Canadian Public Safety and Security Minister Bill Blair and former foreign affairs minister, justice minister, attorney-general and national defense minister Peter MacKay are among the founders.
Other Canadian leaders involved include one of the country’s most decorated military leaders, Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, who has also held leadership roles in NATO and NORAD; David Onley, former lieutenant governor general of Ontario; Stockwell Day, Tim Uppal and longtime Parliament Minister David Sweet.
The organization said it is assembling a lengthy list of global advisers and will release those names and many others over the next few weeks.
Actress Emmanuelle Chriqui (You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, Entourage, Superman & Lois) will become its global peace ambassador, it said.