The American Friends Service Committee confers its Inspiration for Hope Award on three recipients, including Worldview‘s Jerome McDonnell, in an evening dedicated to Middle East peace and justice.

Reverend Don Wagner (Keynote Speaker) is an ordained Presbyterian Minister, author and and Associate Professor of Religion and Middle Eastern Studies at North Park University. Rev. Wagner’s long commitment to peace and human rights includes Chicago-based work as the Director of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign, co-founding of Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding, leading delegations to the Middle East, and serving as a Board member of Friends of Sabeel. His most recent books include Dying in the Land of Promise: Palestine and Palestinian Christianity from Pentecost 2000, and Anxious for Armageddon, a book on Christian Zionism.

Jerome McDonnell is the host of Chicago Public Radio’s Worldview Program. Each weekday Jerome provides global affairs coverage of world issues with in-depth conversations on international issues and their local impact. Jerome regularly interviews staff and speakers on tour with AFSC’s programs. Jerome has a Peter Lisagor award and has been awarded by the Illinois Broadcasters’ Association for “Best Public Affairs Program in a Series.”

Lynn Pollack is a National Board Member of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Active Member of JVP’s Local Chicago Chapter. While Lynn spent most of her career working in advertising and television, she became active in the pursuit of a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians about ten years ago. For the last two years Lynn was a staff member in AFSC’s Middle East Program, primarily overseeing AFSC’s olive oil program “Ziyarat az Zeitoun,” a project she now continues with Chicago Fair Trade.

Recorded Thursday, December 10, 2009 at Irish American Heritage Center.