When Dr. James Orbinski accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières in 1999, it was a transcendent moment for him and the University of Toronto. And more recently, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his lifetime contribution to health care and service to the country. Dr. Orbinski’s brilliance has shone through the difficult times, including when he was MSF Head of Mission in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide, with his experiences leading to a bout of depression, but also fostering a renewed dedication to nations in distress and people in need.

Dr. Orbinski is a global health activist who is keenly aware of the political dimensions of humanitarian work.  This U of T Professor of Medicine is also a fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Chair of Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Additionally, he is the co-founder Dignitas International, an NGO that conducts research, advocates for changes to health policy and provides frontline medical care and training that improves the lives of millions in the developing world.

Dr. Orbinski is also deeply committed to broadening public awareness and understanding of global humanitarian issues. In 2010 he was the subject of Triage: Dr. James Orbinski’s Humanitarian Dilemma, an award-winning documentary by White Pine Pictures and the National Film Board of Canada, which follows Orbinski on a return trip to Africa and explores the often painful process of writing his memoir, An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action in the 21st Century.

Despite the personal and professional challenges of his humanitarian work, Dr. Orbinski remains undeterred. “Even what is imperfect,” he says, “can come into existence only through those who strive to create something better.”