Shawky Fahel started JG Contracting Ltd in 1979. He now owns and operates several successful businesses under the JG Group.A Palestinian by birth, he has written extensively about improving relations between Palestinians and Israelis. In the past, he has been asked by the Canadian Government to provide advice and to participate in Middle East economic development and peace process discussions/negotiations. From 1993 to 1997 he attended Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Summits (1993-97) and he was a Canadian Representative at the 1993 Oslo meetings that resulted in the first Israel-Palestine peace accord. Shawky was the first Palestinian in Canada to advise the Canadian Government on Palestinian issues including the Oslo Accord.Currently, he is proud to work with the University of Waterloo on establishing a Foundation for Palestinian Studies for scholarship on Palestinian culture, history and current affairs.Shawky is the distinguished recipient of several honours and awards including Waterloo's Citizen of the Year, Rotary International's Paul Harris Fellowship Award as well as several humanitarian and outstanding volunteer awards.He is motivated by a belief in the power of philanthropy to give back to the community and does so through his charity, the Canadian International Development Organization, as well as through his volunteer involvement in several organizations.He lives in Waterloo with his wife Kathie and their two children Shaddi and Amanda.