Damhat Zagros 

Damhat Zagros is a Kurdish-Syrian human rights advocate born in Afrin City, Syria. Forced to flee his home due to conflict, he lived as a refugee in Lebanon for over six years. During this time, the challenges of displacement prevented him from continuing his education. In 2017, Damhat resettled in Winnipeg, Canada, as a government-assisted refugee. Since then, he has learned English, completed adult high school, and is now in his final year of a Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights at the University of Winnipeg. He works at the Aurora Family Therapy Centre, where he leads newcomer youth leadership programs and supports initiatives promoting welcoming and inclusion. In addition, Damhat is a community-based researcher focusing on refugee settlement services and experiences.

In addition to his education and work, Damhat has actively volunteered in the newcomer community in Manitoba, focusing on newcomer inclusion, anti-racism initiatives, and building bridges between Indigenous and newcomer communities. In addition to being a member of the Immigrant Advisory Table with Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, Damhat has also worked with and supported Kurdish, Syrian and Yazidi communities in the city. In Damhat’s spare time, he is working on writing a children’s book about decolonization and human rights.