Rizwan, a current Master of Peace and Conflict Studies student at Grebel, is a Christian peace activist from Pakistan. Before coming to Canada, he worked in Pakistan for five years in a Christian community where he fought for the rights of minorities through activism and peacebuilding. Rizwan is passionate about religious tolerance and nonviolence. He came to Canada with the intention of attending an institution where he could learn about sustainability and peacebuilding in both local and global contexts. He appreciates the variety of backgrounds of the professors and other students in the MPACS program, as well as how comfortable he feels sharing his experiences and grief openly in classes because he is always met with encouragement, support, and respect.
“This gives me the opportunity to think more deeply about what my future plans are with these issues and allows me to concentrate on what I want to do next,” he said.
Attending school in Canada has also given Rizwan the chance to relax and practice mindfulness, which has been a big change from the busy life of activism he led in his home country. Rizwan has also been a part of Christian Peacemakers Teams since arriving in Canada. He has worked with Mennonite groups on Indigenous rights issues. His long-term goal is to work within the political system in Pakistan to help build a peaceful society based on equality, religious tolerance, and respect for diversity.
