“Reflections on Migration, Diaspora, Trauma”, with Guest Speaker Amanuel Melles

InterChange invites you to our October meeting.

When:  Saturday, October 3rd, 2015, 10 am – 12:30 pm (GMT – 4)

Where:  OISE – Peace Lounge, 7th Floor South, 252 Bloor St. W, Toronto (St. George subway station)

Join us on reflecting together on the intersection of migration, diaspora and trauma. How do our own unique personal stories become a window into healing and resilience?  Where do peacebuilders fit? What is the call of leadership? What is emerging that needs nurturing? And what needs quieting and dying? Through creative facilitation and deep reflections, let’s collectively explore the landscape of migration, diaspora and trauma.

Amanuel Melles (Aman) emigrated to Canada in 1993 from Eritrea. He spent more than 10 years in the field of marine sciences academia and research, and headed the department of Marine Biology and Fisheries at the University of Asmara. He holds a Masters degree in Applied and Fundamental Marine Ecology  and has worked, studied and travelled in countries such as Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Mauritius, Kenya, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

Over more than 20 years, Aman has assumed various management and senior management roles in various sub-sectors of the non-profit sector. He has wide-ranging expertise and experience in various areas of non-profit organizational resilience and sector effectiveness, community capacity building, diversity and inclusion planning and implementation, evaluation and measurement planning and management, leadership development, long-term strategic planning, etc. He worked at United Way Toronto, Family Service Toronto, Lawrence Heights Community Health Centre and the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants. Currently, he’s the Principal of Aman Consulting.

Aman brings a tremendous sense of grace and respect for valuable traditions, but also does not hesitate to question the ongoing relevancy of certain practices and institutions. He has done extensive community work since his arrival in Canada. He held senior volunteer positions with numerous non-profit organizations.  In the context of peacebuilding, he was the    co-founder of the Toronto Peacebuilding Network, the Selam Peacebuilding Network, and Canadians for Peace and Development in Eritrea. Aman led the design and implementation of the Building Bridges Horn of Africa Communities Peacebuilding Program in Toronto. At InterChange, he serves as the president of the Board. At the International Leadership Association, he helped create the Peace Leadership Affinity Group.

Aman is a strong advocate of immigrant communities on issues of community harmony, prevention of violence against women, youth development and mental health. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the New Pioneer Award, Jane Jacobs Prize and the African Community Leadership Award.

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Please join us and feel free to invite friends.

This is a free event. Donations are welcome.

Light refreshments will be served.