Author, cultural educator, entrepreneur, and peacebuilder Aziz Abu Sarah will be leading a virtual talk at Northwest College on Friday, April 12, titled The Educational Imperative of Creating Global Citizens: Engaging Hearts and Minds with New Perspectives. The presentation conducted through Zoom begins at noon and includes a 45-minute talk followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. The event is free, open to the public, and includes lunch.

Sarah is the co-founder of Mejdi Tours and InterAct International, a 501c3 nonprofit organization advancing sustainability, education, and cross-cultural connections. A National Geographic Explorer and Ted Fellow, his latest book, Crossing Boundaries: A Traveler’s Guide to World Peace, was an Amazon Hot New Release in 2020. He uses tourism to bring people together across some of the world’s deepest divides and has worked in over 60 countries including Israel and Palestine, Afghanistan, Colombia, Syria, Ireland, and the Balkans.

Named one of the World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims each year since 2010, Sarah has written opinion pieces for publications such as The New York Times and Washington Post, and published by National Geographic, CNN, and Al Arabiya. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East, the European Parliament’s Silver Rose Award, and the Eisenhower Medallion and Eliav-Sartawi Award for his Middle Eastern Journalism.

In 2011, Sarah also won the Intercultural Innovation Award from the UN Alliance of Civilizations and the BMW Group, and served as Executive Director at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University from 2009-15. In 2013, he was recognized by former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon for his work in peace building.

Sarah’s presentation is part of the 2024 Global Studies Seminar and is sponsored by the International and Foreign Language Program at the U.S. Department of Education.