Ottawa honors pioneering Canadian Muslim

Ottawa, NU Online
Promoting mutual understanding and compassion, Ottawa resident, Dr. Safaa Fouda was awarded the Mayor’s City Builder Award for her volunteer work in bringing Canadians, new immigrants, and faith groups together.<>

“I am grateful and humbled to get this recognition which belongs to many individuals and groups with whom I worked over the years,” Dr. Fouda told OnIslam.net.

“When people work together, they get to know one another and realize their common goals to benefit humanity.

“This builds the bridges of peace we all want for our city and for Canada as a whole,” she added.

Mayor Jim Watson and Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward Councillor Tim Tierney presented the award to Dr. Safaa Fouda last April 29.

Dr. Fouda is a pioneering female engineer who moved to Canada from Egypt in 1969 and holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering.

She retired in 2005 as Deputy General for the CANMET Energy Technology Centre, Natural Resources Canada.

During her career, she volunteered in a broad range of advisory committee roles with various federal government departments, and with the Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as a consultant on the tenets of the Muslim faith.

Dr. Fouda is also an interfaith advocate who has worked to help immigrants integrate into and serve their new community, and to promote shared respect and common values.

The Mayor’s City Builder Award is a civic honor created to recognize an individual, group or organization that has, through outstanding volunteerism or exemplary action, demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to making Ottawa a better place today and for the future.

After she retired, Dr. Fouda became actively involved in philanthropic and community work especially in helping vulnerable communities and in cross-cultural bridge building, peace-building, Muslim/non-Muslim relations and supporting human relief.

She has received several recognitions including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and Ontario’s “Leading Women Building Communities” award.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq