Hind Kabawat is a prominent figure in interfaith peacebuilding and conflict resolution, focusing on Syria. Currently, she serves as the director of interfaith peacebuilding at the Centre for World Religions and Diplomacy and is a member of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) for Syria in Geneva. In her role as the deputy head of the HNC office, she actively participates in the Syrian peace talks.
Background
Hind, hailing from an educated Christian family in Damascus, was raised in an environment that embraced liberal ideals. Her father, a respected businessman and intellectual, surrounded himself with a circle of writers and scholars who greatly influenced Hind’s worldview.
After marrying Samer Kabawat, a Syrian businessman, Hind and her husband transformed their expansive residence in the historic city into a vibrant salon. This gathering place became a hub where writers, artists, journalists, and academics convened to engage in thought-provoking discussions on culture, politics, and social issues.
Hind’s exceptional ability to unite Syrians from diverse backgrounds and political affiliations became evident in her role as the salon’s host. Her innate talent for fostering connections across various walks of life and political spectrums has always been one of her remarkable strengths.
Career
Hind Kabawat worked as a senior program officer at the United States Institute of Peace and as an international counsel at Janssen and Associates, an international law firm based in Toronto, Canada.
Hind’s work in Syria includes leading public diplomacy efforts focused on educational innovations in conflict resolution and diplomacy education. She has received prestigious awards for her contributions, including the Peacemakers in Action Award from the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding in New York in 2007 and the Public Diplomacy Award from George Mason University’s Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict in 2009.
Hind has been involved in various initiatives and organizations throughout her career. She participated in the Future of the Middle East World Economic Forum at the Davos Economic Forum in 2009 and played a key role in the formation of the Syrian Centre of Dialogue. She has also served as the CEO of “Tastakel,” a women’s learning center for refugees in Turkey and a women’s center in Jarjanaz, Idlib, Syria.
Tastakel
With a strong academic background, Hind holds an MA in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, a law degree from the Arab University in Beirut, and a BA in Economics from Damascus University. She has also acquired certificates in conflict resolution and strategy leadership from the University of Toronto and a certificate in negotiation from Harvard University.
Hind Kabawat’s dedication to peacebuilding extends beyond her professional endeavours. She is the founder and director of the Syrian Centre for Dialogue, Peace, and Reconciliation in Toronto, actively engaging in multi-faith collaboration and civil society development. She also heads the interfaith committee for Tastakel, an organization dedicated to peace and reconciliation through women’s empowerment and education.
Her work focuses on promoting dialogue, tolerance, and reconciliation among different religious and ethnic groups in Syria and the Middle East. She actively engages in grassroots movements and community development, working with Syrian refugees in camps located in Turkey and Jordan. Through her efforts, Hind Kabawat strives to bring about positive change and contribute to building a peaceful Syria.
Hind Kabawat, a prominent figure in interfaith peacebuilding and conflict resolution, holds several key positions and has been involved in various initiatives and organizations throughout her career. Currently, she serves as the director of interfaith peacebuilding at the Centre for World Religions and Diplomacy and is a member of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) for Syria in Geneva. As the deputy to the ambassador in the HNC office, she actively contributes to the Syrian peace talks.
