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Thanks to a partnership with Ziauddin Yousafzai, the father of 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Global Peace Centre Canada (GPCC), and the Women’s Executive Network (WXN), Conrad Grebel University College is pleased to offer a $10,000 scholarship to a female Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) student.

“Each year we are challenged to find funds to accept international students into our Master of PACS program,” explained Lowell Ewert, Director of PACS at Conrad Grebel and the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. “This award, generously established by our good friend Ziauddin Yousafzai and our new partners at WXN, will help us respond to this need by bringing into our program a female student from a region of the world experiencing conflict. This gift is a concrete way to empower women in peace education in the spirit of Malala.”

Last month, the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ accepted an invitation from the United Nations Women’s HeForShe campaign. ��ݮ��Ƶ has committed to achieve comprehensive, long-term and sustainable gender equity by developing innovative programming aimed at a full spectrum of women from young girls, right through to the University’s senior leadership.

The WXN and Yousafzai Award furthers the University’s HeForShe campaign by creating opportunity and transformation for a female student from a conflict-affected area. The award highlights a culture of empowering female students to achieve – not just in science and technology areas, but in civil society and social entrepreneurship.

“We at Conrad Grebel are thrilled by the WXN and Yousafzai Award. We are extremely grateful to the Women’s Executive Network, Global Peace Centre Canada, and Ziauddin Yousafzai for establishing this innovative and life-changing award,” commented President Susan Schultz Huxman. “Women experience the need for peace in special ways. The major conditions for the absence of peace – poverty, lack of education, and insufficient health care – affect women and girls disproportionately. This scholarship will inspire smart women to achieve and lead, to gain expertise on peace-building and women’s empowerment.”

In the inspirational words of Malala, Huxman continued, “Let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. Education is the only solution.”

Conrad Grebel University College at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ is home to the oldest peace studies program in Canada. It includes a Master in Peace and Conflict Studies program (MPACS) that enrols students from around the world.  Conrad Grebel is home to the Mennonite Savings and Credit Union (MSCU) Centre for Peace Advancement which helps to incubate peace organizations. The Global Peace Centre Canada is one such organization. An MPACS graduate, Jahan Zeb, is a key player in GPCC and works in close collaboration with Ziauddin Yousafzai.

Incorporated in June 2015, the GPCC has been working to create opportunities for designing and developing structures and processes to advance peace and education in areas of conflict internationally. The GPPC's work is guided by an accomplished and volunteer board of directors and is supported by philanthropists, senior academics, and civil society leaders. Ziauddin Yousafzai serves as Honorary Chair, Dr. Neil Arya works as Director and Chair, and Jahan Zeb was Founding Director of GPCC.

Created in 2008, the Women’s Executive Network  and the WXN Foundation supports the advancement and empowerment of women by contributing to charitable endeavours that align with WXN’s mission and values of equality, community, passion, and integrity.

Grebel President Susan Shultz Huxman and Women's Executive Founder Pamela Jeffery sign papers for the new MPACS award.