Anwar Shah Arkani is two-times refugee, a lifelong activist and human rights defender for Rohingya people.

In 1998 Anwar was resettled in Canada as a government sponsored refugee. He was also awarded a scholarship by the United State Information Agency [for Burmese Students] to study at Indiana University. He graduated with Bachelor of Science in December 2002.

In 2006-7 Anwar rescued and helped thousands of stranded Rohingya at the Thai-Burma border. Anwar has been invited by NGOs to talk at the United Nations, Geneva, about the Rohingya’s plights; first time in March 2009 at the UNHRC, and the second time in April 2009 at Durban Review Conference, UN Geneva.

Anwar is the founder and president of the Rohingya Association of Canada [RAC]. He has been engaged in helping with post settlement work for the newly resettled Rohingya in Kitchener since their arrival in 2007. He has been a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars related to Rohingya’s current issue