Peter Dalglish

Peter Dalglish (born 20 May 1957 in London, Ontario), is a Canadian Humanitarian, founder of the world leading Street Kids International charity. He was educated at Upper Canada College, Stanford University and Dalhousie Law School. He was called to the Bar in 1985.

In 1985, Peter Dalglish, John Godfrey and Arthur Andrew organized a Christmas airlift of food and medical supplies to Ethiopia. This led to the Maritime provinces of Canada "adopting" a community in the Ogaden Desert of Ethiopia, and providing over $400,000 for education, health and medical programs in the region.

Between 1985 and 1987, Peter Dalglish worked in Sudan as a field worker for the United Nations on the desert border between Chad and Sudan, and served as coordinator of the UNICEF Sudan emergency unit. After catching a young thief breaking into his truck, Peter Dalglish organized Sudan's first technical training school for street children, supported by Bob Geldof of Band Aid. Car thieves and house breakers were trained to become apprentice mechanics, welders and electricians; the graduates were hired by local businesses. In 1986, Peter Dalglish began a guaranteed same-day courier service run by street children. The kids delivered mail and newspapers to offices that they once broke into; along the way they learned the importance of discipline and hard work.

In September 1987, Peter Dalglish returned to Canada to found Street Kids International with the aim of beginning similar projects for street children in other countries. Street Kids International has grown to become one of the leading organizations in the world working with street children. Projects have been developed in cooperation with local partners in South Sudan, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, India and the Dominican Republic.

Between 1988 and 1990 Street Kids International developed Karate Kids, an animated film about AIDS for street children. The cartoon at present is in distribution in 27 languages and in over 100 countries.

In 1987, Peter Dalglish received the Vanier Award, and in 1989 was chosen by Junior Chamber International as one of the 10 outstanding young people of the world. In 1994 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.

In 1993, Street Kids International was chosen as the first Canadian recipient of the Peter F. Drucker Award for Non-Profit Innovation in recognition of the Karate Kids cartoon. A second cartoon focusing on the issue of substance abuse by poor girls and boys around the world was released in 1994, and is now in distribution around the world.

In August 1994, Peter Dalglish was appointed as Executive Secretary of Youth Service Canada, a national service program for out-of-school and out-of-work Canadian youth.