Revision 795195497 of "Firdaus Kharas" on enwiki

{{Infobox person
|name = Firdaus Kharas
|image =
|caption=Firdaus Kharas addresses the Game Changers Summit at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|11|18|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Calcutta|Calcutta, India]]
|nationality = Canadian
|education = Cathedral and John Connon School<br/>Thiel College<br/>Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (Carleton University)<br/>Stanford University Business School<br/>Kennedy School of Government (Harvard University)<br/>London School of Economics
|occupation = [[television producer]], [[animation|animation producer]], [[film producer]], [[social entrepreneurship|social entrepreneur]], [[author]]
|notable_works = A Plea to My Father<br/>Coming Together<br/>The Three Amigos<br/>Buzz and Bite<br/>No Excuses<br/>No Thanks, We're Fine<br/>A Child Without A Country<br/>Nan and Lili<br/>Magic Cellar<br/>Honk, Toot and Swo-swoosh<br/>PanAsia: Journeys on Asian Cuisine<br/>City Of The Rich<br/>Such A Long Journey<br/>Love Come Down<br/>Ebola: A Poem For The Living<br/>In Praise Of Ebola Prevention<br/>Beyond Survival<br/>Zika

|website = http://www.chocmoose.com
}}

'''Firdaus Kharas''' (Fir-dose Kha-RASS) MA, LLD (hc), DHum (hc) is a [[social entrepreneur]] and media producer who uses video and animation to better the human condition around the world. He founded Chocolate Moose Media in 1995 to produce for-profit and [[not-for-profit]] content for film and television aimed at [http://www.darpanmagazine.com/magazine/spotlight/firdaus-kharas-activism-through-animation progressive behaviour change]. He was born November 18, 1955 in [[Calcutta, India]], and is now Canadian. His TV series and [[documentaries]] have focussed on health issues, [[children's television series]], [[human rights]], [[dementia]] and [[refugees]]. He has won 90 international awards, including a United Nations Peace Medal, the [http://www.reelworld.ca/ Trailblazer Award], [http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/358339702/chocolate-moose-media-recognized-for-global-impact/ 2016 Best Global Informative Short Film Producer], and was named in February 2015 as one of the world's [http://www.worldcsrcongress.com/ 50 Most-Talented Social Innovators]. He has also been awarded three [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlxr7Yp0TOU honorary doctorates.]

His notable works include 30 [[public service announcement]] campaigns (PSA) and series of animated shorts including ''[[The Three Amigos Campaign]]'', targeting the spread of [[HIV/AIDS]]; ''Buzz and Bite'', focussing on protection against [[malaria]]; and ''No Excuses'', combatting [[domestic violence]] and videos to combat violence and promote human rights. In 2006 ''The Three Amigos'' was given the [[Peabody Award]].<ref>[http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/the-three-amigos-hiv-aids-prevention-programme 66th Annual Peabody Awards], May 2007.</ref> He recently completed three animated shorts to combat violence in Ecuador and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

His work on bettering the human condition and combatting violence has sometimes made him a target of death threats.

Prior to his media career Kharas worked in the Canadian public service dealing with immigration and refugee policy and on [[United Nations]] affairs. He has travelled to 140 countries and frequently speaks at international conferences, trains animators and sits on media festival juries.

== Early life and education ==

Kharas was born into an upper middle-class [[Parsi]] family during Calcutta’s [http://www.economist.com/node/21542446 most turbulent period of social upheaval], which would influence his [http://theglobalcalcuttan.com/?tag=firdaus-kharas entire life]. His father was a mechanical engineer and his mother a British-trained lawyer. First introduced to progressive causes by his mother, who volunteered for an [[NGO]], he was taught the realities of disenfranchised people and at age eight was taken to [[Mother Teresa]]’s Home for the Dying. At the time he also started writing plays and acting in high school productions first at [[La Martiniere Calcutta]] and then at the [[Cathedral and John Connon School]] in Bombay. After graduation he was the first recipient of the Rotary Club of Bombay’s international exchange-student scholarship. With it he attended an honors year at [http://cppanthers.org Commodore Perry High School] in Hadley, Pennsylvania. Kharas then studied [[political science]] as an undergraduate at [https://www.thiel.edu/ Thiel College], Pennsylvania (BA, 1978). In his final year he won the [http://www.nmun.org/ncca.html National Model United Nations] debate.

In 1978 Dr. John Sigler offered him a full scholarship to complete a master's degree at [[Carleton University]]’s [http://www1.carleton.ca/npsia/ Norman Paterson School of International Affairs] (MA, 1980) in Ottawa. His thesis was on human rights and human security and he wrote a draft international [[Convention Against Torture]]. Since graduation he has continued his studies: in marketing and law at the [https://www.uottawa.ca/ University of Ottawa];  in senior management at [http://www.hks.harvard.edu/ Harvard University’s J.F. Kennedy School of Government]; in social innovation at [http://csi.gsb.stanford.edu/ Stanford University’s Centre for Social Innovation]; and in climate change at the [[London School of Economics]].

After university, Kharas authored two books: [http://www.amazon.ca/Togo-Firdaus-Kharas/dp/0969125402 ''Togo''], an investment analysis of business and political risk in the West African country, and ''How To Immigrate To Canada''.



== Government service ==

Kharas was the executive director of the [http://www.unac.org/en/index.asp United Nations Association in Canada] from 1982 until 1987. Within that capacity he was the secretary of the jury for the [http://unac.org/unac-projects/pearson-peace-medal/ Peace Medal] and was awarded a United Nations Peace Medal by [[Javier Perez de Cuellar]], the U.N. Secretary General, during a state visit to Canada in 1985.  He then focussed on refugees by serving as policy adviser to [[Barbara McDougall]], Canada’s Minister of Employment and Immigration, before being appointed [http://www.appointments.gc.ca/prflOrg.asp?OrgID=IRB&lang=eng Assistant Deputy Chairman of the Immigration and Refugee Board], where his mandate was the help clear up the backlog of more than 100,000 refugee claimants from 115 countries. In 1995 his desire to impact social problems drew him into the private sector, into mass communications for social change.

== Media ==



Chocolate Moose Media was founded that year in Canada but set up its first production facilities in Singapore and Malaysia to train locals and produce animated and dramatic television series. With the Malaysian Royal Family ([[Jaafar of Negeri Sembilan]]) as partner, Kharas created [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219435/ City of the Rich], Asia’s first English-language daily soap opera that ran for 200 one-hour episodes. He then focussed on cultural content with the 300-episode animated series [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nan+and+lili ''Nan and Lili'' (2008)] - the only Arabic language animated series for pre-schoolers - and [http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/animated-series-brings-africa-to-other-cultures/article105277/?service=mobile ''Magic Cellar''] (2006) - the first series about African culture for children, which won 29 international-festival awards and was [http://www.awn.com/news/hbo-acquires-first-3d-series-african-culture bought by HBO]. His programs have appeared on the [http://disney.go.com/disneychannel/ Disney Channel], [http://www.discoverychannel.ca/ Discovery], [http://animal.discovery.com/ Animal Planet] and [http://www.nick.com/ Nickelodeon], among many others.

Kharas is a world leader in producing cross-cultural behaviour-change campaigns using animated shorts that he distributes free of charge and have been versioned into 100 languages. He produced spots for [http://www.unicef.org/crcartoons/ UNICEF’s Cartoons for Children’s Rights] and then for the [http://www.unicef.org/specialsession/ UN General Assembly Special Session on Children].  In 2004 Kharas worked with South African film maker [http://www.linkedin.com/pub/brent-quinn/4/255/48a Brent Quinn] to produce and direct [[The Three Amigos Campaign]], a series of animated PSAs to educate people about [http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/byAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/HIVandAIDSActivities/ucm126372.htm the use of condoms to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS]. The series was officially launched in 2005 in six languages and has since been translated into 45 languages that can reach 5.5 billion people in 150 countries.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pitching Rubbers|title=The New Yorker|url=http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/05/24/040524ta_talk_mcgrath}}</ref> Nobel Peace Prize laureate [[Archbishop Desmond Tutu]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Tutu|first=Desmond|title=In Support of The Three Amigos|url=http://www.thethreeamigos.org/pdf/LetterfromArchTutu.pdf}}</ref>  is an advocate and the series won the [[Peabody Award]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Peabody Awards|title=2006 winners|url=http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/winners_2000s.php#2006}}</ref> In 2008 Kharas launched a second series of PSAs called ''Buzz and Bite'' using animated mosquitos [http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/ to teach viewers about ways to protect themselves from the transmission of malaria].<ref>{{cite web|last=Jaffer|first=Mobina|title=Canadian Senate|url=http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/In-The-Senate/Statement/4324_Mr-Firdaus-Kharas}}</ref> A third series called ''No Excuses'' was launched in 2011 using animated characters to prevent domestic violence by questioning its cultural justifications, a theme that was subsequently reflected in the [http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/3/prweb10540035.htm/ UN Declaration Against Violence.]  All three campaigns were launched at the United Nations<ref>{{cite web|last=United Nations|title=Press Briefing|url=https://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2005/HIV_AIDSbrf050111.doc.htm|accessdate=8 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=United Nations|title=Press Briefing|url=https://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2008/080422_Malaria.doc.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=United Nations|title=Press Briefing|url=https://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2011/110418_Kharas.doc.htm}}</ref> and are the central focus for the [http://cultureshift.tv/ Culture Shift] website. A feature story in the [https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/10/talking-condoms-make-safe-sex-campaigns-acceptable-in-conservative-countries/280616/ Atlantic magazine] brought all these issues together in one place.



Kharas created a series in Arabic for the Al Jazeeera Children's Channel called [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/hind-hamza/ Hind and Hamza] that tackled such sensitive topics as racism and gender equality and illustrated how the media form can reach youth and adults alike.

He has produced six documentary films, including [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1946171/ Child Without a Country: Pedro] about Canada’s refugee system and {{YouTube|1SPEWhue4Do|''No Thanks, We’re Fine''}} about caregivers to people with dementia. He has also completed a campaign to help those without electricity change from poisonous kerosene lamps to solar power in [https://vimeo.com/firdauskharas/videos/search:solar/sort:date/ The Solar Campaign]. Kharas is also the subject of a documentary film called [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2826830/ Firdaus Kharas: The Animated Activist].

In response to the [[Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa]] in 2014, Kharas worked with an international team to produce [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fijchDjsQUg&feature=youtu.be/Ebola: A Poem For The Living] an animated video dealing with prevention of the disease that has had more than one million views online. In the middle of 2015 Kharas completed In Praise of Prevention, a second animated short designed to prevent the next outbreak of Ebola with soundtrack sung by [[Angelique Kidjo]], and also a third called [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=153v_16w2AY/ Beyond Survival] that addresses the stigma of being an Ebola survivor. Other projects included [https://vimeo.com/147210461/ an animated 12-video series] focussing on a group of elementary school children who are affected by Type I diabetes; a [[whiteboard animation]] addressing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nzd1JpoMp0&feature=youtu.be/adressing violence against children in Malawi]; and a six-video series about [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=biggie+and+smallie/ children's values.] His two videos about nature conservation were for [[IUCN]] and [http://www.waza.org/en/site/home/ WAZA.]

As a speaker, Kharas has appeared at events like [http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference/ Yale University’s Unite For Sight] (2009-2016) and advised graduating students during [http://www.metacafe.com/watch/8381603/inspirational_commencement_speech_by_media_producer_firdaus_kharas/ commencement speeches]. He has sat on television juries for the likes of the [http://www.iemmys.tv/events_academyday.aspx International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awards] as well as presiding over juries for such festivals as the Cairo International Film Festival for Children.
He sits on the advisory board of the [https://www.theklostersforum.com/advisoryboard/ Klosters Forum], which brings together disruptive and inspirational minds to tackle some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. 

In recent years Kharas has been at the forefront of a United Nations' initiative to use animation to prevent violence worldwide. [https://www.un.org/press/en/2011/110418_Kharas.doc.htm/ No Excuses] brought the idea in front of the United Nations, and work like [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nzd1JpoMp0/ Violence Against Children in Malawi], [https://vimeo.com/album/4549289/ A Plea To My Father] targeting [[sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo]] and Coming Together about [http://www.americasquarterly.org/node/3281/ problems of Colombian refugees suffering discrimination in Ecuador] is driving this new trend.

His animated shorts run to 3,600 videos in 130 languages and are available in a [https://vimeo.com/firdauskharas/ channel on Vimeo.] All the videos are freely available for use.


== Filmography ==
;2017
: [https://vimeo.com/album/4549289/ A Plea To My Father]
: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T93RGMIMbrI/ Show You Care, Wear a Pair]
: Coming Together
: [https://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/archives/43651/ Asbestos Kills]


; 2016
: [https://vimeo.com/album/3852283/page:1/sort:preset/format:thumbnail/ Zika Prevention]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/biodiversity-is-us/ Biodiversity Is Us] - World Association of Zoos and Acquariums
: [https://vimeo.com/album/3995466/video/165259483/ Nature For All]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/asbestos-kills/ Asbestos Kills] - Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization 
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/1355/ Polio - The Switch]
; 2015
: [http://www.solarcampaign.org/about/ The Solar Campaign]
: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=153v_16w2AY  Beyond Survival]
: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Xp_jqWCPI  In Praise of Prevention]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/values/ Values For Young Children]
: [https://vimeo.com/182900385 Rights of Children With Diabetes] - Qatar Diabetes Association
; 2014
: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fijchDjsQUg Ebola - A Poem For the Living]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/hind-hamza/ Hind and Hamza]
; 2013
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/george-of-the-jungle/ George of the Jungle]
; 2011
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/no-thanks-were-fine/ No Thanks We're Fine - Alzheimer's Support]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/no-excuses/ No Excuses]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/a-child-without-a-country-pedro/ Child Without a Country: Pedro]
: [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1964650/ Desert Riders] - documentary about child camel jockeys
; 2009
: [http://www.malariacampaign.ca Buzz and Bite]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/nan-and-lili-2/ Nan and Lili]
; 2006
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/magic-cellar/ Magic Cellar]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/two-special-shorts-on-the-asian-games/ Shorts of the Asian Games]
; 2005
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/honk-toot-and-swo-swoosh/ Honk, Toot and Swo-Swoosh]
; 2004
: [http://www.thethreeamigos.org The Three Amigos]
; 2003
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/panasia-journeys-in-asian-cuisine/ PanAsia - Journeys in Asian Cuisine]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/king/ King]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/toad-patrol/ Toad Patrol]
;2002
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/daft-planet/ Daft Planet]
; 2001
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/untalkative-bunny/ Untalkative Bunny]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/canadas-two-cents-worth/ Canada's Two Cent's Worth]
; 2000
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/animated-logos/ Animated logos for UNAIDS]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/animated-jam/ Animated Jam] - UNICEF
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/animated-logos-2/ Animated logos for UNICEF]
; 1999
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/speeds-choice/ Speed's Choice]
;1998
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/city-of-the-rich/ City of the Rich]
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/lets-see-lets-learn/ Let's See, Let's Learn]
; 1997
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/children-have-the-right-to-protection-from-neglect/ Children Have the Right to Protection From Neglect] - UNICEF
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/children-have-the-right-to-protection-in-war/ Children Have the Right to Protection in War] - UNICEF
: [http://www.chocmoose.com/portfolio-item/the-circle-is-complete/ The Circle is Complete]

== Awards and honours ==

Kharas has won 90 international awards for his film and video work (the major ones are listed below). In 2007 he received an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from [https://www.thiel.edu/ Thiel College]; in 2009 he was named an Honorary Fellow at the [[American InterContinental University]]; and in 2015 he received an [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlxr7Yp0TOU honorary Doctorate of Laws] from [https://carleton.ca Carleton University] and in 2016 during the university's 75th anniversary was named one of its [https://carleton.ca/fpa/fpa75/ 75 most-distinguished alumni.] In 1985 he was awarded a United Nations Peace Medal for his efforts at the [https://unac.org United Nations Association of Canada]; in 2009 he received the End Malaria Award from the [http://www.malaria.org Malaria Foundation International]; in 2013 he was recognized by The Guardian newspaper’s International Achievement Award; and in 2015 was named one of the world’s 50 most-talented social innovators by the [http://www.worldcsrcongress.com World CSR Congress].

Major Awards

; 2017
: Award of Excellence - [http://theindiefest.com/ Indiefest]
: Remi Award - [https://worldfest.org/2016-remi-winners/ Worldfest]
; 2016
: Award of Merit - [http://bestshorts.net/past-winners/award-of-merit-november-2016/ Best Shorts Film Competition]
: Silver Screen and Certificates of Creative Excellence - [http://www.filmfestawards.com U.S. International Film and Video Festival] 
: Telly Award (2) - [http://www.tellyawards.com Telly Awards]
: Best Global Informative Short Film Producer - [https://issuu.com/aiglobalmedia/docs/tmt_entertainment_awards_2016/ TMT Awards]
; 2015
: Platinum REMI Award - [https://worldfest.org Worldfest]
: Best Animated Video - [http://www.prdaily.com/Main/VideoAwards2016.aspx PR Daily Video Awards]
: Telly Award
; 2014
: Telly Award
; 2012 
: Telly Award
; 2009
: Two Silver Globes - [https://www.worldmediafestival.org/en/welcome World Media Festival]
: Golden Eagle  - [[CINE]] (Council on International Non-theatrical Events)
: Canadian Senate Statement of Recognition - [https://liberalsenateforum.ca/hansard/mr-firdaus-kharas/ Canadian Senate]
; 2008
: Platinum Best in Show - [https://www.auroraawards.com Aurora Awards]
; 2007
: Best Animation Film - [http://www.fadeinawards.com FADE-IN Awards]
: Gold and Silver World Medals - [http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/tvfilm/ New York and World Media Festivals]
: Telly Award
: Golden Eagle  - CINE 
; 2006
: [http://peabodyawards.com George Foster Peabody Award]
: Golden Reel (2) - [http://www.mpse.org Motion Picture Sound Editors]
: Telly Award (3)
: Gold and Silver Awards - [http://www.daveyawards.com Davey Awards]
: First Prize, Children’s Jury - [http://www.facets.org/children+youth/festival/ Chicago International Children’s Film Festival]
: Bronze, Statuette and Honorable Mention - [https://www.ccad.edu/experience-art/columbus-international-film-festival Columbus International Film and Video Festival]
: Two Grand Festival Awards - [http://www.berkeleyvideofilmfest.org Berkeley Video and Film Festival]
; 2005
: Telly Award
: Gold (2) and Silver REMI Awards - Worldfest
: Golden Eagle - CINE 
: [http://www.reelworld.ca Reel Trailblazer Award]
; 2004
: Silver Hugo and Certificate of Merit - [http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com Chicago International Film Festival]
: Golden Eagle and Special Jury Award - CINE 

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat|Firdaus Kharas}}
* [http://www.chocmoose.com/ Official Website]
* [http://cultureshift.tv/ Culture Shift]
* [http://www.thethreeamigos.org/ ''The Three Amigos'']
* [http://www.malariacampaign.ca/ ''Buzz and Bite'']
* [http://www.noexcusescampaign.org/ ''No Excuses'']
* [https://vimeo.com/firdauskharas/ Vimeo channel]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kharas, Firdas}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Canadian television producers]]
[[Category:Canadian television directors]]
[[Category:People from Ottawa]]
[[Category:Parsi people]]
[[Category:Social entrepreneurs]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Cathedral and John Connon School alumni]]