This week, the International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC) will welcome its first five female Syrian students on full scholarships at its campus in Toronto. At a time when the U.S. is closing its borders, ILAC, along with many educational institutions across Canada, has vowed to continue to support diversity and inclusivity as a pathway for peace.
The five young women will arrive at Pearson Airport on Thursday, February 9 on student visas facilitated by ILAC and the Daughters for Life Foundation (DFL). Selected by DFL for their academic and leadership potential, the ILAC scholarships will allow the students to get back on track with their academic plans to become global leaders in their fields.
“With education, these women can make their dreams a reality,” says Jonathan Kolber, Co-President of ILAC, “and change both their worlds and ours.”
ILAC was one of the first schools in Canada to reach out to the Daughters for Life Foundation in 2012 with an initial donation of $200,000 in scholarships. Since then, ILAC has continued to work closely with DFL to provide educational opportunities for women across the Middle East, regardless of faith or nationality.
The Daughters for Life Foundation is a Canadian charity that provides educational programs and scholarships to young women around the world.
“The arrival of these young women is an important step on the pathway to peace,” said Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, Founder of the Daughters for Life Foundation. “Their personal stories of determination and the opportunities they will have to learn and study peacefully in Canada provide hope for understanding and reconciliation.”
For more information about this initiative, please contact Gabriela Garcia at [email protected]
