FLORA MACDONALD
Founder, Future Generations Canada

"Traveling with humanitarian groups in developing countries gave me new insight into the challenges faced and often surmounted, particularly by women. It has also fostered a deeper awareness of how fortunate we in Canada are, compared with millions of the world's citizens for whom survival is measured a day at a time."

The Honourable Flora MacDonald is simultaneously known as one of Canada’s most effective female politicians and one of Canada’s most passionate humanitarians. Flora served 16 years (1972-88) as a Member of Canada's Parliament, holding three Cabinet positions. In 1979 she was appointed Canada’s first female foreign minister.

In recent years, Flora has turned her considerable talents and energy to international humanitarian work, serving on the boards or advisory councils of several prominent organizations including CARE Canada, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Partnership Africa-Canada and Future Generations International.

While serving as Chair of Future Generations International, Flora’s interest in Afghanistan inspired her to visit there in March of 2001, while the government was still under the control of the Taliban. There, she learned firsthand of the profound need for the Afghans to rebuild their society, a society that had once been the intellectual and cultural hub of the Persian Empire.

Flora believed she could best serve this cause by starting a Canadian foundation dedicated to rebuilding civil society in Afghanistan – creating greater opportunities for Canadians to donate and get involved. Thus, Future Generations Canada was born.