AVI celebrates 35 years of Somaliland's independence

PLUS: podcast episode with Somaliland Advocate Omer Kahin, AVI Student Ambassadors and Alumni visit our Toronto office, and more!

Click the above still to watch a recap of our staff and stakeholders celebrating with our Somalilander allies!

This past weekend, flags were flown and bridges were built at a large and vibrant celebration marking the 35th anniversary of Somaliland’s National Day on May 18th.

The party brought together members of the Somaliland diaspora, international partners, and distinguished representatives and supporters from key partner nations, including Taiwan, Israel, and Canada. Allied Voices for Israel (AVI) was proud to take part in the celebrations – while our Founder and Executive Director Daniel Koren was invited to speak to attendees.

Community Leader and Somaliland Advocate Omer Kahin, who appeared on our most recent episode of the Common Voices podcast, also gave a speech reflecting on Somaliland’s history, post-war reconstruction, and the enduring need for international recognition.

A strong emphasis was placed on Somaliland’s pursuit of international recognition and its growing global partnerships.

For a reel summarizing the celebration, featuring excerpts from Koren's speech, please click here.

The celebration included a flurry of Israeli and Somaliland flags, signalling the close bond and support between the two nations

“The Toronto event ultimately underscored the growing international support for Somaliland and the increasing visibility of its diplomatic efforts. It highlighted the role of diaspora communities in advancing the recognition agenda and strengthening global partnerships,” states a piece in the Somaliland Post covering the celebration.

“As Somaliland marks 35 years since reclaiming its independence, the message from Toronto was clear: international engagement is expanding, and the call for recognition continues to gain momentum.”

To see more photos and videos, please click here.

Click the above graphic to read the rest of the excerpt from our most recent Common Roots podcast episode with Somaliland Activist Omer Kahin

In anticipation of Somaliland's upcoming independence day May 18th, we are throwing it back to our most recent Common Voices podcast episode, when AVI Executive Director Daniel Koren sat down with Omer Kahin – a community leader and advocate for Somaliland – discussing the nation’s history, its recent recognition by Israel, and the potential for future cooperation.⁠

During the conversation, Kahin pointed out that Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland on December 26, 2025. This move was met with significant enthusiasm and celebration within Somaliland and its diaspora. He stresses his hope that other nations, including the United States, United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia, will follow suit.⁠

To listen to episode 14: Recognizing Somaliland Could Help Shape a New Middle East, please click here.  

To read an excerpt from the episode, please click here. 

(Left to right): AVI Founder Daniel Koren, AVI Student Ambassadors Kyla and Anthony, and Director of Campus Affairs Idaliah Snajdman

AVI Executive Director Daniel Koren snapped a quick group selfie of our amazing AVI Student Ambassadors at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) who recently came by our our Toronto offices to brainstorm fun, student-led initiatives this summer!

The conversation especially focused on how Jewish and Iranian students could support each other on campus.

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Click the above flyer to register for our Vancouver event with Upstanders Canada, National Post editor-in-chief Rob Roberts, and journalist Dave Gordon

AVI is thrilled to share that we are collaborating with Upstanders Canada, an allyship organization that mobilizes Canadians to stand with Jewish people and Israel, on two live events in Vancouver and Ottawa!⁠

The events, titled Media Bias: How Media Has Mainstreamed Antisemitism ... And What to do About It⁠ will feature both Rob Roberts, editor-in-chief of the National Post, in conversation with journalist and writer Dave Gordon. ⁠

Our Vancouver stop on Sunday, May 24th at 2:30 p.m. will feature a contextualizing introduction by Janet Dirks, a retired CTV National News reporter who spent six months reporting from Jerusalem. Pat Johnson, President of Upstanders Canada, will welcome the audience and discuss the organization's work, and our AVI Student Ambassadors will also take the stage to share their firsthand experiences on campus.

To register for our Vancouver program, please click here.

Click the above flyer to register for our Ottawa event with Upstanders Canada, National Post editor-in-chief Rob Roberts, and journalist Dave Gordon

Then, for our Ottawa event on Tuesday, May 26th at 7 p.m., Johnson will open the evening with a look at the vital advocacy work of Upstanders Canada. You will also hear directly from our AVI Student Ambassadors about what they are experiencing on the ground.

We are incredibly proud to bring this program to the capital alongside Upstanders Canada and our wonderful friends at Hillel Ottawa.

To register for our Ottawa program, please click here.

Click the above graphics to register!

We are partnering with the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation (CAEF) on a webinar series celebrating Jewish Heritage Month and Asian Heritage Month – two cultures that share similar values and are serendipitously highlighted in May.

The events are also being sponsored by Doctors Against Racism and Antisemitism (DARA), Toronto Asian Parents Association (TAPA), and The Jewish Therapist Collective.

On Sunday, May 24th, Dr. Vera Schwarcz will lead a discussion with Dr. Elliott Malamet on Jewish moral thought and the ways it has been shaped through sustained engagement with Chinese civilization. They will address how to stay grounded and truthful when the world feels confusing, polarized, or morally unstable, and how long-standing traditions help people decide how to live, not just what to think.  

To register for Truth and the Way / Tao, please click here. 

On Sunday, May 31st, Dr.  Jack Daniel will draw from his book A Universe Made for Two, inviting a cross-cultural exploration of Genesis as a relational, dynamic act of creation, viewed through the complementary wisdom of Jewish tradition and ancient Chinese cosmology, with a particular focus on Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

This session will highlight how the Genesis creation narrative resonates with the Chinese understanding of yin and yang, qi, balance, and the generative cycles of nature. Rather than static creation ex nihilo, both traditions describe a universe brought into being through polarity, differentiation, rhythm, and relationship. 

To register for A Universe Made for Two: Genesis Through the Lens of Chinese Cosmology and Traditional Chinese Medicine, please click here.

On Sunday, June 14th, our very own Founder and Executive Director Daniel Koren will moderate a panel discussion featuring AVI Student Ambassador Brandon Liu, Dr. Weidong Pei, and AVI friend Karen Woods of the Canadian Chinese Political Affairs Committee (CCPAC). 

Each panelist will relay their personal story of connecting wth the Jewish community and fighting antisemitism, followed by a Q&A with the audience.

To register for Why I Stand with the Jews and Israel: Chinese Canadian perspectives, please click here.