Here’s All you have to know about Tareq’s journey up to this article:

Tareq Hadhad (born Tareq Hadhad; October 21, 1992) is a Syrian-Canadian Business Person, international public speaker, and philanthropist, living in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. Hadhad is known for his confectionary business Peace by Chocolate, of which he is the Founder and CEO, and for his public speaking engagements which are referred to as Peacefully Speaking. His speaking engagements are organized through Vox Management Agency in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Life before Canada and Education

Prior to being forced to flee from Syria during the country’s civil war, Hadhad’s father, Essam Hadhad made chocolate in Damascus, Syria for over 20 years. [1] Their facilities in Syria were bombed, and Tareq and his family were forced to leave their home and live as refugees in Lebanon for three years, living in uncertainty about their safety and their future until arriving in Canada in 2016. Previous to being forced to leave Syria, Tareq had completed four years of Medical School and was well on his way to becoming a Doctor. With two years left in his schooling, it was no longer safe to attend school in Syria. While living in Lebanon, Hadhad provided medical services to those in need. After arriving in Canada, Hadhad started his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish.[2] After immigrating to Nova Scotia in 2016, Hadhad reopened the family’s chocolatier business. They are now thriving in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, employing newcomers to Canada and residents of the community. Its confectionary is shipped worldwide. [3]

Coming to Canada

Upon arriving in Canada in the middle of a cold December night in 2015, as a Syrian Refugee, Hadhad was greeted by a large group of people clapping and cheering for him, holding signs and waving Canadian flags. They were a group of refugee sponsors from Antigonish, who wanted to offer him and his family a safe and happy life in Canada. The rest of Tareq’s family would shortly follow and land in Canada to begin their new lives. Soon after settling in their new home, the Hadhad family began selling their Peace by Chocolate brand at local farmers’ markets. Over time, sales and attention towards the company and its chocolates grew. [4]

Peace by Chocolate

Peace by Chocolate began as a small kitchen-based operation and has since grown into a nationally distributed business with plans to employ up to 500 staff in the next two years. Chocolate-making has been a Hadhad family tradition since 1986 when Essam Hadhad, Tareq’s father, opened a factory in Damascus. Upon arriving in Canada, the Hadhad’s were determined to continue their confectionary business by launching a facility in Antigonish. After the initial great success at local farmers’ markets, the company made its products available online which expanded their reach significantly. [5] In 2018, the company signed a deal with Empire Co.’s Sobeys grocery store chain, providing national distribution throughout Canada via 900 stores within two years. This helped to increase Peace by Chocolate sales by 400 percent in 2018.[6] Hadhad wants Peace by Chocolate to become one of this country’s biggest chocolate companies in five years.[7]

Prime Minister Trudeau supports Peace by Chocolate

Trudeau gave Peace by Chocolate it’s first international nod in 2016, sharing the story of the Hadhad family to a forum of world leaders, diplomats and dignitaries at the UN Refugee Summit in 2016. In June of 2019, Trudeau supported Hadhad and his family during a trip to the U.S. by gifting U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi with Peace by Chocolate, stating, “Peace by Chocolate is something Canada is very proud of”, to which she replied, “Peace by Chocolate, sounds like an International Agreement."[8]

The Hadhad family view Peace by Chocolate as a way to give back to Antigonish, the small town of roughly 4,500 with an 11.6 unemployment rate. Peace by Chocolate's goal is to employ over 500 people within this community and is a surefire way of giving back to those who so graciously welcome Hadhad and his family.[9]

Peace On Earth Society and Giving Back

Peace By Chocolate donates 3-5% of all company profits to their Peace On Earth Society - an organization registered in Nova Scotia that donates funds to peacebuilding projects around the world. [10] Peace by Chocolate also has permanent donations agreements with specific organizations.

Their Peace Needs Love Pride Bars donate one dollar per bar sold to Phoenix Youth in Halifax, NS.[11]

Their Nitap Indigenous Friendship Bars give proceeds towards the Paq’tnkek Band Council and the Paq’tnkek Mi'kmaw Nation. Peace by Chocolate also donated $10,000 in support of the Paq’tnek 12-week Nitap (friendship) program in collaboration with the Paqtnkek Community Health Center, the Municipality of the County of Antigonish Recreation Department and volunteers. The program is said to have brought together community members on a variety of projects and represent an excellent collaboration with our neighbours and community organizers to help support community health and well-being.[12]

Another partnership is between Peace by Chocolate and the University of Ottawa’s Refugee Hub. Their Welcome Bar acts as a fundraising initiative designed to promote the values that best define Canada and to benefit newcomers on Canadian soil. The Ottawa University Refugee Hub works to increase protection and rights for refugees by engaging in research, programming, and partnerships on a community, national, and international level. Proceeds from the Welcome Bar helps them continue their work and bring together refugee-related research & activities within the Faculty of Law and on the University of Ottawa campus.[13]

In January of 2020, the company launched their Peace of Mind campaign, directing proceeds from their Peace of Mind Bars to the Canadian Mental Health Association.[14]

In 2016, Hadhad and Peace by Chocolate helped the tens of thousands of Canadians displaced by wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta by donating a portion of the proceeds from their company to the Red Cross to help those evacuated from their homes living in shelters. Hadhad and his family’s experience with losing everything in Syria made them want to give back to the people of Canada. [15]

Citizenship

On January 15, 2020, Hadhad participated in a citizenship ceremony at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax. Hadhad received a 100% score on his Canadian citizenship test. [16]

Public Speaking

Hadhad has said that Peace by Chocolate is not just about making chocolate, but is an opportunity to share with the world a message of peace. Hadhad gave his first speech in February of 2016 after being asked to speak at a community breakfast. Although he was incredibly nervous and was still mastering his English, he attended and spoke about his experience in Syria and Lebanon, as well as his fresh start in Canada. He ended up speaking for an hour and 15 minutes. This helped him to realize his talent for public speaking. He has now spoken all across Canada and has attended over 350 speaking engagements from Coast to Coast to share the story of his family and Peace by Chocolate.[17]

Hadhad's speaking engagement topics are "Resiliency through Adversity: Perseverance from Pre-War Syria to the United Nation", "One Peace Won't Hurt: Building a cause through Entrepreneurship and Community", and "Peace is Beautiful in Every Language: How Offering Kindness is the Key to Accelerating the Integration of New Immigrants".[18]

“I want people to realize how important it is to keep peace in our lives and how important it is to open our doors and welcome people from other countries. I want them to know how privileged we are to live in a safe zone and welcome those who have lost everything in a moment and give them the opportunity to live again,” Hadhad says.

With this message of peace and resilience, Hadhad hopes to inspire Canadians and millions of people all over the world to embrace peace. “Peace is the thing we cannot live without,” says Hadhad. “We cannot build businesses without peace. We cannot go to school without peace. We cannot raise families without peace.”[19]

Awards & Accomplishments

September 2018
- Google National Hero Case - Google Canada
October 2017
- Start Up Canada’s National Newcomer Entrepreneur Award - Start Up Canada
November 2016
- NS Good News Award
June 2020
- Top 25 Immigrants to the Maritimes

All about Tareq Hadhad is published on Wikipedia

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