Robert Allison
Robert Allison has been involved in community organizing from a very early age. In 2006, after the brutal Israeli attack on Lebanon, he found himself becoming involved in the Palestinian solidarity movement. He is one of the co-founders of the Toronto Palestine Film Festival; one of the co-founders of the Hamilton Voices of Palestine Film Series and the Founding Executive Director of Jewish Liberation Theology Institute. Robert is experiencing fatherhood late in life, so his participation on the panel is doubly appreciated.
Dania Majid
Dania Majid is a Toronto-based lawyer and long-time Programmer of the Toronto Palestine Film Festival. The TPFF, which celebrated its 14th edition this September, exhibits an exciting array of Palestinian films, music, art, discussions and cuisine. Audiences can enjoy its programming in-theatre and online, where many programs are still available at TPFF.ca. TPFF is a volunteer-run festival and sales from its extensive merchandise line available online support the Festival. TPFF looks forwards to welcoming you to the festival next September, as well as its upcoming year-round programming. You’re invited to join TPFF’s newsletter and find out about its coming events, co-presentations, resources and updates
Thomas Morgan
Thomas Morgan is a film director whose films have been leveraged to create lasting movements with a specific call to action. His first film, Storied Streets, captured the painful reality and personal triumphs of those living unhoused in the USA. Waiting For Mamu, told the story of Pushpa Basnet, who, at age 21, began helping free innocent children from the prison floors in Nepal. This award-winning film was used to raise funds for The Butterfly Home, in Kathmandu, to support these children’s ongoing education. Soufra, released in 2017, was a New York Times and LA Times critics pick, and has won several film festival awards worldwide. It tells of generational refugee Mariam Shaar and her quest for the fundamental right to own a business—a food truck. Soufra has been used to raise funds to build a school at the Burj al Barajneh refugee camp in Lebanon.
Henry Zaccak
Henry Zaccak joined CEPAL’s board of directors more than a decade ago, following his first experience in volunteer teaching at the Burj al Barajneh refugee camp, where the film Soufra takes place. His commitments have since extended to a variety of charities and non-profit organizations in the Greater Toronto Area. Henry also has a passion for building software products and services that improve the wellness of others. He has a Masters in Health Informatics from the University of Waterloo. He also has an Hon. B.Sc. in Computer Science: Software Engineering from the University of Toronto and is a PMP Certified Project Manager.