"I particularly appreciated your decision to highlight that Ohana specializes in Palestinian rights campaigning and that she has developed a curriculum on Israel and Palestine that is being used in classrooms worldwide."
October 4, 2023
To:
Sobia Moman, Reporter, Surrey Now-Leader
Beau Simpson, Editor, Surrey Now-Leader
Dear Sobia Moman and Beau Simpson,
I am writing to thank you for your October 4 article, “Surrey teacher in running for prestigious US$1 million Global educator award.”
I was happy to read that a teacher, Annie Ohana, was chosen as a finalist for the GlobalTeacherPrize.
Not only is it heartwarming to read that she is the only Canadian selected and a woman, but the fact that she is a social justice teacher who “has devoted her career to fighting for justice for all marginalized groups, through education of youth from an anti-racism perspective” is the more touching.
I particularly appreciated your decision to highlight that Ohana specializes in Palestinian rights campaigning and that she has developed a curriculum on Israel and Palestine that is being used in classrooms worldwide. Although I would’ve liked to have more information on this curriculum, I think the Surrey Now-Leader’s choice to include this aspect of her work is important in contributing to a more balanced media environment in Canada regarding these types of issues. Too often, journalists steer away from even touching on these topics.
Thank you for covering such a great story.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East