Your audience will join Tareq on an emotional journey from Syria to Canada with heartbreaking and perspective shaping stops along the way.

From sunny days in Syria where the scent of roses filled the air to the beginning of conflict and war. 

Listen as Tareq shares the fear and confusion that came when violence and danger begin to slowly surround his family. Understand what it is really like to spend days hiding in your basement, praying for safety and food and medicine. 

Learn how a family made the decision to leave everything behind in search of safety outside of their homeland only to find more uncertainty and desperation as refugees in Lebanon.

Witness the life changing impact of being granted a family ticket to Canada and watch as that country’s Prime Minister singles out the Hadhad family and their community for its perseverance and kindness.

Resiliency Through Adversity is an emotional rollercoaster for any audience, one that leaves them feeling inspired and resolved to make their own impact on the world.

With customers from across Canada and throughout the United States, Peace By Chocolate™ is the result of  people and passions coming together to advocate for a cause - peace.

Your audience will first learn the Hadhad family story. From owning a successful middle eastern chocolate factory in Syria to losing everything to war and conflict, Tareq shares the back story of his fathers love of chocolate and all that was lost when the family fled to Lebanon.

When the family lands in Canada they have only themselves to build on. With the support of their community (Antigonish, Nova Scotia), Isam and his son Tareq began making chocolate in their tiny kitchen. An entrepreneurial spirit brought them to their local farmers market and customers were soon flocking to their small table to purchase their delicious treats.

“People, they loved our chocolate before they even tried it. They loved our story, the cause it represented, and the hope it gave us all,” explains Tareq.

He goes on to describe in detail what happened when global celebrity, political leader and Prime Minister of Canada the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau unexpectedly highlighted their story in an address to the United Nations. Your audience will hear how the family reacted and struggled to make the most out of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Finally, Tareq will delve into the challenges that come with rapid growth, in expanding to new markets and gaining national distribution while staying true to the peace based cause that started it all.

“Offer them kindness, give them a hand, lend them support and immigrants will succeed so much faster.” - that is the message your audience will hear when Tareq shares his unique story of immigration and activism.

Born in Damascus, Tareq shares with your audience the gut wrenching story of how he found himself and his family far from home in a Lebanese refugee camp. Stripped of their possessions, their livelihoods and at the mercy of global aid organizations Tareq talks about how he got involved, how he gave back and worked to find a new home for his family.

Three years after entering Lebanon as a refugees family the Hadhad’s found themselves on the cold and snowy streets of an even farther away town - Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Their journey from the middle east to Canada and its resulting culture shock are the tip of an inspiring iceberg that showcased the compassion and support of Canadians, Nova Scotians and the people of Antigonish.

From coast to coast, Tareq shares with your audience what can happen when people open their arms and offer kindness in another person's time of need. Peace, it truly is beautiful in every language.