Brian Bronfman named to the Ordre national du Québec

Philanthropist recognized for his contribution to changing the face of Quebec society

Brian Bronfman was one of 13 people to be honoured in June as an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec. As co-founder and President of the The Peace Network for Social Harmony, the award recognizes Brian’s immense work and dedication in the fields of peace and social harmony. The 42 recipients of one of the three ranks of the Ordre national du Québec were decorated at the annual insignia award ceremony on June 22.

Brian Bronfman is devoted to the charitable sector and philanthropic activities. His dedication and commitment are a testament to his vision for Quebec and contribute to the development of a caring and inclusive society. His leadership has enabled him to mobilize actors from all backgrounds around the issues of diversity and inclusion, violence prevention and peace promotion.

“Being named an Officer in the Ordre national du Québec is an incredible honour. I have never been one who wishes to put himself in the spotlight, but I see this recognition as an endorsement of my total dedication to philanthropy and to generating positive social change. My dream in receiving this honour is that it further advances the cause to which I’ve devoted my entire adult life.”

“Specifically, I’m hoping that more people will become aware of the tremendous initiatives with which I’m involved, especially the Peace Network for Social Harmony, with its wonderful grassroots partners and its exciting projects; such as Peace Days and the Forum on Diversity and Inclusion and its collaborative and impactful approach. And once aware, I’m hoping that even more fellow Quebecers will actively join our efforts to create a more respectful, equitable and inclusive society.”

During a conversation with The Montrealer, Brian provided some background on his path. “The peace we benefit from in our society doesn’t just happen by chance – it’s through the work of like-minded people that we can and have created safe society.  That’s why I made the decision in 2006 to create a foundation to engage different sectors of society to work together. At the time, this was unheard of in Canadian philanthropy. I believed that we would have more impact if we established a network of foundations and businesses to form partnerships.”

“The network members are dedicated to the principals of diversity and inclusion. The Peace Network gives them a place to meet (either physically or by tele-conference) and to be inspired by best practices. We had the foundation up and running by 2009.”

The Peace Network for Social Harmony is a Canadian charitable organization that uses the strength of collaboration in pursuit of its mandate. Its work focuses on three central themes: (1) diversity and inclusion, (2) violence prevention, and (3) the promotion of peace and social harmony. Network members come from the worlds of philanthropy and business. In addition, the organization collaborates with NGOs, academic institutions, arts and cultural organizations, researchers, government, and many others. Thanks to its multitude of relationships, the Network is a force for the development of partnerships, the sharing of information and knowledge, and the creation of links between sectors. The Network helps to maximize the impact and effectiveness of efforts undertaken by all stakeholders in the fields of peace and social harmony.

In 1981, the United Nations declared September 21st to be the International Day of Peace. Since 2015, the Peace Network for Social Harmony has coordinated Montreal’s Peace Days’ activities, including events on the International Day of Peace itself. The Network works with many wonderful partners in this initiative, including those from the community, cultural, educational, and philanthropic sectors. These partners organize an array of activities each year that enable Montrealers to contemplate and take concrete action for peace. The Peace Network for Social Harmony assembles these activities under the banner of Peace Days; it is a special moment on the calendar to highlight the peace builders of our city and their tremendous initiatives.

The 7th edition of Peace Days will be held under the theme “Take action for equality” from September 21 to October 2, 2021.

For more information about the Peace Network for Social Harmony, please visit: www.thepeacenetwork.ca