Izzeddin Hawamda

Izzeddin Hawamda was born and raised in a rural village just outside of the city of Nablus in the West Bank, Palestine. He has lived in Canada for over 15 years and works as a high school teacher at Maples Collegiate in the Seven Oaks School Division. He teaches Grade 10 Geography, Grade 11 Canadian History, and English as an Additional Language at Grades 9 to12. He is currently working toward a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Manitoba. Along with Jewish-Canadian and Quaker colleagues, Izzeddin is a co-founder of Gaser/Bridge. (“Gaser” means “Bridge” in both Arabic and Hebrew.) This interfaith dialogue group works to promote awareness, dialogue, and empathy-building regarding Israel and Palestine. Izzeddin and the other members of Gaser/Bridge speak publicly about the power of dialogue and the importance of sharing, listening, and respecting diverse perspectives and narratives. In an effort to build bridges and break down the barriers in the classroom, Izzeddin works to create opportunities for Indigenous and newcomer students to share spaces and stories.