Mr. Nahzat has worked with aid agencies in Afghanistan and Pakistan managing peace education, rehabilitation, and emergency relief operations. He has contributed advice and expertise to numerous Canadian media productions, including [*Good Morning Kandahar*](http://www.nfb.ca/film/good-morning-kandahar-excerpt/), *Voices from Afghanistan*, [*Between Hope and Fear*](http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/afghanistan/video.html), [*Afghan Chronicles*](http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=55420), and [*Portraits of New Canadians*](http://www.sherry.ws/new_canadians/). He was born and raised in Kabul during the decade-long Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Amid the ensuing civil war and bloodshed, he fled the Afghan capital with his family and lived in Pakistan for several years. In 2002, he finally immigrated to Canada in pursuit of the “Canadian dream.” Emerging from the traumatic experiences of conflict, he committed himself to working for sustainable peace and social justice. An award-winning advocate and young leader, he has a track record in international development. From 1999-2002, he worked with development organizations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where he developed educational projects and engaged young Afghan refugees on peace-building efforts. In 2003, he founded the [Centre for Afghanistan Progress](http://www.afghanprogress.com/), a diaspora-led volunteer network dedicated to informing public action on priority development issues in Afghanistan. He is also an Afghanistan expert for the [Canadian Foreign Service Institute](http://www.international.gc.ca/ifait-iaeci/index.aspx), a Senior Program Officer with [World University Service of Canada (WUSC)](http://www.wusc.ca/) , a member of the [Canadian Commission](http://www.unesco.ca/en/interdisciplinary/youth/default.aspx) for UNESCO’s Youth Advisory Group, and is the Vice Chair of [Future Generations Canada](http://www.futuregen.ca/), a grassroots development organization dedicated to the empowerment of the Afghan people, established by the Honourable Flora MacDonald. Over the past few years, he has also volunteered with the Canadian Policy Research Network and the Dominion Institute, among others. He has received wide public recognition for his activities, including the [Embassy of Afghanistan’s Service Award](http://www.afghanemb-canada.net/en/press_release/embassy/2009/april/embassy%20awards.php), the City of Ottawa’s [Distinguished Civic Award for Humanitarianism](http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/volunteerservices/civic_appreciation/volunteer_recognition_2007_en.html), and Bank of America’s Spirit Award. He was also nominated for the “Most Active Young Afghan” Award of the Inter Afghan Young Professionals. As a Sauvé Scholar, he will examine and present on Canada’s international development policy towards Afghanistan. In addition, the Sauvé scholarship will provide him with an indispensable platform to further engage the Canadian public and Afghan-Canadian diaspora communities on specific humanitarian and development issues. His Academic Mentor is [Professor Rex Brynen](http://www.mcgill.ca/politicalscience/faculty/brynen/) whose principal research interests are peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction.