Session 2, 2:00pm: The UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative
Dr. Monjur Chowdhury:
Monjur Chowdhury is a socio-economic researcher and an educator with a
passion for implementing a quality educational model that would serve all
children with a greater attention to underprivileged school-aged children all
over the world.
He has more than 30 years of experiences in managing cross-functional and cross-cultural teams in the field of education and training. He is the principal architect and founding director of AlivEducation a new way of engaging students to learn better by keeping in mind the true purpose of education. He is also the Executive Director of Pro-active Education for All Children’s Enrichment (PEACE).
Monjur Chowdhury did his Major in the field of electrical engineering. He obtained his Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. degrees in electrical power systems with a special emphasis in Renewable Energy. He also obtained his Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from Queen’s University in Canada and Teaching certificate from Ontario College of Teachers. Presently, he is teaching Math at Mother Teresa High School.
Dr. Chowdhury speaks and communicates in 4 international languages: Bengali, English, Russian and French.
Dr. Sue Bennett
Dr. Sue Bennett is a Full Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. She is a pediatrician and mental health professional by training and the Director of Social Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) after more than 2 decades as Director of the Child & Youth Protection Program working clinically with maltreated children, youth and their families. She is a prominent advocate for the rights of children, youth & their families and conducts research and education in promoting child health and well-being at the local, national and international level. She is a Director of the Board of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons International (RCI) and a Councilor with the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN).
Dr Bennett is the co- medical director of the Vanier Social Pediatric Hub working with community & academic partners to provide holistic, comprehensive & integrated health and social care to children, youth and their families in order for them to reach their fullest potential in an underserved and diverse community. She is working with Ottawa Municipal Councillor Rawlson King and community stakeholders including children and youth on establishing Ottawa as a UNICEF recognised Child Friendly City.
City Councillor Rawlson King
Rawlson was elected the first-ever Black city councillor in a historic by-election held April 2019, in Rideau-Rockcliffe (Ward 13), in the City of Ottawa. He sits on several committees and has been appointed Council Liaison for Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural Relations Initiatives to advance anti-racism and race relations initiatives. Previously, he was the President of the Overbrook Community Association, Board Member and Treasurer at the Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre, and was Co-Chair of the Ottawa Police Service Community Equity Council. Recognized for his volunteer work, he won a United Way Ottawa Community Builder of the Year Award in 2018, conferred during National Volunteer Week. Rawlson holds both a Bachelor of Journalism and Law, and a M.A. in Communication from Carleton University. He is an entrepreneur and communication professional with over 20 years private sector experience in marketing, strategic communication and high-technology market research.