Yves Morneau was raised in a multicultural environment on Saint Urban Street in Montreal. His classical studies prepared him to become a ‘responsible citizen of the world’, first as a missionary with the White Fathers in Zambia, and later as an employee of the Canadian International Development Agency in Tanzania and Benin, accompanied by his wife, Lise.

Reflecting on his 40 years of work in development, mainly in Africa, he concluded that social, political, and economic progress could only happen if tolerance, compassion, and mutual understanding prevailed over class, religion, and ethnicity. Consequently, after retiring from CIDA, he acquired a Master’s degree in Conflict Studies and trained with the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution. These studies supplemented four decades of international experience by providing him with practical tools for understanding deep-rooted conflicts and facilitating better relationships among groups and individuals.

Read Yves Morneau’s Acceptance Speech