David Morley, UNICEF Canada President and CEO, appointed to the Order of Canada

TORONTO, 3 July 2018 – UNICEF Canada is pleased to announce and extend congratulations to our  President and CEO, David Morley, who was appointed to the Order of Canada on June 29th, 2018. As Canada’s highest civilian honour, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Morley has been invested into the Order “for his leadership in international development and for his humanitarian commitment to improving the lives of children and families around the world.” 

A prolific international speaker, commentator, human rights advocate and activist, David has more than thirty years of experience advancing children’s rights and sustainable development on the world stage.  A recognized leader of the not-for-profit sector in Canada, David is a passionate voice for the world’s most vulnerable citizens and has dedicated his career to improving the lives of children and communities in Canada and around the world.

Morley has been President and CEO at UNICEF Canada since 2011, and previously served as Executive Director of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders Canada, as President and CEO of Save the Children Canada and was the founding Executive Director of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Morley is also the Chair of the Standing Group of National Committees for UNICEF a recognition of his leadership globally.

Don Fox, Chair of the Board at UNICEF Canada shares, “For the past 30 years, David Morley has had a tremendous impact on improving the greater human condition. He is a globally recognized expert on humanitarian and international development issues.  Nowhere has his influence been greater than on improving the lives of children around the world.  He has never hesitated to speak-up for the voiceless or to travel to conflict and disaster zones; visiting some of the most dangerous and remote areas of the world in defense of children’s rights and well-being.  Just recently, he travelled to South Sudan to advocate for family reunification in the civil war, and Bangladesh to visit Rohingya camps to ensure children are receiving care and education under dire circumstances. Everyone at UNICEF Canada is very proud of this recognition, and even more proud to have David leading our efforts to improve the world for every child.”

Humane and compassionate, Morley has devoted his life ensuring a child born in a fragile context has the same chance as any other to survive and thrive.  Most recently, he has successfully championed girls education in countries in crisis at the Charlevoix G7, has been named as Co-Chair of the Stephen Lewis Foundation and led the launch of One Youth Canada - an initiative to make Canada the best place in the world to grow up in by 2030. 

David’s work with UNICEF Canada takes on the complex challenges of children’s rights in a sustainable and comprehensive way.  At a time when the world is looking to Canada for global leadership and when Canadians are looking for leaders who have global context, David Morley ensures he is inspiring the next generation of Canadian humanitarians through his teaching at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.   David lives those values each and every day through his work, his involvement with agencies and organizations, his role as a teacher, his volunteer activities, and most importantly with his own family.