James Orbinski at TINARS
What is the nature of humanitarian action in the twenty-first century? Based in large part on his experience of working with Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières ) during the Rwandan genocide, Dr James Orbinski provides a thought-provoking response to this quandary in his highly anticipated book, An Imperfect Offering (Random House Canada). Dr. Orbinski will engage in a timely on-stage conversation about the politics of compassion with Gillian Findlay of CBC TV’s “The Fifth Estate”, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. – A This Is Not A Reading Series event presented by Pages Books & Magazines, Random House Canada and EYE WEEKLY. At the Church Of The Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Square, Toronto. On Thursday, May 1 at 7:30 pm (doors 7pm). Tickets $5 at Pages Books & Magazines (In person ticket sales only; no reserves or holds).
An Imperfect Offering addresses the state of humanitarian action in the twenty-first century. Based in large part on his work with Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières ), Dr James Orbinski asserts that we must recognize the fundamental imperative of seeing as human those whose political systems have most brutally failed. Orbinski provides a highly personal account of how this imperative has shaped his work as a physician in his highly anticipated memoir, An Imperfect Offering. He insists that we must never lose sight of the dignity of those being helped or deny them the right to act as agents in their own lives. In a matter-of-fact manner, Orbinski takes readers on a journey to some of the darkest places of our recent history. He confesses to a near palpable sense of outrage at the politicians whose actions (or lack thereof) lead to such atrocities as the Rwandan genocide. But Orbinski takes great care to devote his text to truly incredible acts of courage and empathy. An Imperfect Offering provides a moving, timely portrait of the doctor as witness and a clarion call to politicians of all stripes to accept responsibility for the human cost of their actions.
James Orbinski was the International President of Médecins sans Frontières in 1999 when it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He is a Research Scientist and Associate Professor at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto. He is founder of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, a not-for-profit pharmaceutical research and development entity focused on the diseases of the South. He recently founded Dignitas, an organization focused on community-based treatment, care and prevention of HIV in the developing world. Dr. Orbinski lectures internationally on humanitarianism and global health.
Gillian Findlay has a distinguished career as a broadcast journalist. She spent eight years reporting for ABC News - first in Moscow and then in Jerusalem. Findlay returned to Canada and to CBC-TV in 2002 to co-host the investigative program CBC News: Disclosure for two seasons. These days she is a reporter for CBC television’s flagship program, The Fifth Estate. Findlay studied history and literature at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and holds a degree in broadcast journalism from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
