People

Adrienne Clarkson

Canada

Biography

The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson came to Canada from Hong Kong as a refugee in 1942 and made the astonishing journey from a penniless child refugee to accomplished broadcaster and distinguished public servant in a multi-faceted lifetime. She is the bestselling author of the 2014 CBC Massey Lectures, Belonging: The Paradox of Citizenship, Room for All of Us: Surprising Stories of Loss and Transformation, Heart Matters: A Memoir, and a biography of Dr. Norman Bethune, the Canadian hero of the Chinese people. In 2005, she co-founded the Institute for Canadian Citizenship with her husband John Ralston Saul to help new citizens in Canada integrate into Canadian life.

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“I am a child of war who has become a person of peace, whose life is dedicated to making sure that people understand each other, that people are not violent with each other, that people talk things out, that people understand each other in whatever languages they choose to speak.”

Adrienne Clarkson