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By: Damien Wood

There’s no such thing as a local issue anymore, says the Calgary Centre for Global Community’s executive director.

Gurbir Sandhu, in telling the Sun retired Lt.-Gen., former senator and current humanitarian Roméo Dallaire will be the centre’s 2015 Calgary Peace Prize recipient, said all issues are inter-connected.

“We do not live in isolation,” Sandhu said.

And so the hope is to start a conversation here about the great efforts being made out there.

She said “it’s all about inspiring hope in our communities.”

Dallaire’s known for efforts surrounding the Rwandan Genocide and child soldiers, including The Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative and his books, Shake Hands with the Devil and They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children

Bringing in Dallaire to accept the award April 9 at the Magnolia Banquet Hall in northeast Calgary, and do a presentation and Q&A session on child soldiers is something the centre’s committee is very excited for.

Sandhu said the committee had nominations for about a dozen possible recipients this year, and Dallaire was the top of that list.

“He’s a great Canadian hero and a great human being recognized all over the world,” she said.

The centre’s past recipients of the award include Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba, Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Louise Arbour, Sally Armstrong, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, Emmanuel Jal and Dr. Samantha Nutt.

Further information can be found at calgarycgc.org/calgary-peace-prize.html

damien.wood@sunmedia.ca

On Twitter: @SUNDamienWood