"Hatred is a contagious and destructive disease," Presentations coming to San Antonio the week of Feb. 16, 2025

 

 The daughters on the beach.  Now Daughters for Life Foundation honors them. 

PROGRAM DATES AND TIME LISTED AT THE BOTTOM. 

A global expert on “Hatred as a Contagious and Destructive Disease” will be brought to San Antonio by the founders of the first public hospital in the city in 1869.  When ten percent of the population of San Antonio had died of contagious diseases, the mayor begged for help and the Incarnate Word Sisters responded starting Santa Rosa Hospital. In that tradition of care for life, the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Office of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Sisters hosts Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, a Professor in the Global Health Division - Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.

Prof. Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian Canadian physician and an internationally recognized human rights and inspirational peace activist devoted to advancing health and educationa lopportunities for women and girls in the Middle East. Prof.  Izzeldin Abuelaish was born and raised in Jabalia Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip. Through his work, he has experienced firsthand the impacts of conflict in countries like Palestine, Egypt, Israel, Uganda, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia. His experience working as both an insider and outsider to conflict has led him to believe that doctors are particularly well-poised to serve as peacemakers, based on the moral doctrine of their profession. Health and medicine are human equalizers, socializers, harmonizers and stabilizers.

Dr. Abuelaish (third from the right) with San Antonio people who attended the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates where he spoke. 

Prof. Abuelaish has overcome many personal hardships, including poverty, violence, and the horrific tragedy of his three daughters’ and niece’s deaths in the 2009 Gaza War. He continues to live up to the description bestowed upon him by an Israeli colleague, as a “magical, secret bridge between Israelis and Palestinians” and in the world. He is now one of the most outspoken, prominent, and beloved researchers, educators and public speakers on peace and development in the Middle East. He holds twenty honorary doctorates and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times.

Elis Wiesel, Nobel Peace Laureate, wrote of Dr. Abuelaish book, I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity, "This story is a necessary lesson against hatred and revenge."

 

Dr. Abuelaish with Teo Reyes, Assistant Director of the UIW Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability named for Sister Dot Ettling. 

As President Jimmy Carter put it, “In this book, Dr. Abuelaish has expressed a remarkable commitment to forgiveness and reconciliation that describes the foundation for a permanent peace in the Holy Land.”

The book shares the doctor’s life story as a Gazan doctor growing up in a refugee camp, persisting in getting educated, obtaining a degree, securing a position in an Israeli hospital and continuously crossing from Gaza to Israel. During this time he grew in recognizing the humanity of Israelis, developing his faith as a Muslim, and establishing his own family in Gaza.

Then, on January 16, 2009, he suffered horrendous loss when an Israeli tank shelled his home, killing three of his daughters and a niece, only months after having lost his wife to disease.

Despite this horrendous pain and grief, Dr. Abuelaish did not seek revenge or harbor hatred for those who were responsible for the deaths of his daughters and niece, and so many others. He started the foundation Daughters for Life to help educate young women of the Middle East. About – Daughters for Life Foundation.  He emphasizes that educated women are needed as leaders to help create a more justice and peaceful future.  The Incarnate Word Sisters firmly believe in the importance of education and leadership training for girls and women.

Dr. Abuelaish with Jacky Zaval Aguila of the UIW Office of Research and Graduate Studies. 

We bring Dr. Abuelaish with the hope that women from the Middle East will have increased opportunities to share their voices, participate and learn.

Presentations: 

Feb. 17, Monday

All gatherings on Feb. 17, 10:30 am to 9 pm and Feb. 18, 9 am to 5 pm will be in the UIW Student Engagement Center Ballroom and livestreamed for those in other places.

10:30 to 11:15 am Dr. Abuelaish on "Hate as a contagious and destructive disease" with discussion 

12 noon  Part of the recent documentary "I Shall Not Hate"  and time for questions with Dr. Abuelaish.

1:30 pm. Abuelaish on "Hate as a contagious and destructive disease" with discussion 

3 pm. Part of the recent documentary "I Shall Not Hate"  and time for questions with Dr. Abuelaish.

5:45 pm. Buffet Benefit Dinner.  Lift a Daughter--for Life.  Help build a San Antonio Scholarship for a Middle Eastern Woman through the Daughters for Life Foundation which was founded by Dr. Abuelaish. Registration required. Free parking on the UIW campus west of the Student Engagement Center.

7 pm.  Panel of Health Care Professionals on Hate as a Disease.  Free and open to the public, no registration required. Dr. Junda Woo, City’s Medical Director/Public Health. Dr. Abuelaish. Some of the other invited panelist:  Dr. Kenneth Kemp, Antioch Baptist, both MD and clergy. Dr. Moshtagh Farokhi UT Health Dentistry. Dr. Cathy Woodward, who was in Pediatrics at UT Health.  Dr. Jason Morrow, University Hospital.  Dr. Adam Ratner, School of Osteopathic Medicine, UIW. 

Feb. 18, Tuesday, 9 am Dr. Abuelaish on "Hate as a contagious and destructive disease" with discussion 

10:30 am  Part of the recent documentary "I Shall Not Hate"  and time for questions with Dr. Abuelaish.

12 noon . Abuelaish on "Hate as a contagious and destructive disease" with discussion 

1:30 pm. Part of the recent documentary "I Shall Not Hate"  and time for questions with Dr. Abuelaish.

3 pm  Dr. Abuelaish on "Hate as a contagious and destructive disease" with discussion 

Feb. 18, 6:30 to 8:30 pm CHRISTUS Heritage Hall at the Village at Incarnate Word.    Lift a Daughter--for Life.  Help build a San Antonio Scholarship for a Middle Eastern Woman through the Daughters for Life Foundation which was founded by Dr. Abuelaish. Delicious Middle Eastern food, music. Dr. Abuelaish speaking.  Learn of  Our Scholars – Daughters for Life Foundation  Registration required. Students can request scholarships. For information, write   kirk@uiwtx.edu 

Feb. 19, Wednesday, 9 to 10:15 am. UIW Mabee Library Auditorium.Dr. Abuelaish presents on "Hatred as a Contagious and Destructive Disease"   

 Possibilities at Peace Center at Northwest Vista College.  The Rotary Club. 

Feb. 19, Wednesday, Executive Book Review, "I Shall Not Hate" by Dr. Abuelaish, 5:30 PM at CHRISTUS Heritage Hall at the Village at Incarnate Word. Please register https://executivebookreview.com/  

Feb. 20, Thursday    @TheIntersection; 8-8:30 AM virtual. For the link, please write Ann Helmke (DHS): Ann.Helmke@sanantonio.gov

Feb. 20  Possibilities at Northwest Vista 

Dr. Abuelaish's book, I Shall Not Hate is available at The Twig Bookstore at the Pearl. 

Contact: Sister Martha Ann Kirk kirk@uiwtx.edu  210-883-5934