Hassan Al Kontar Hassan Al Kontar was raised in a prosperous Syrian home, the middle child of a mechanical engineer and nurse. He was working in the UAE when his work permit expired and civil war broke out in his home country. A conscientious objector by fait and temperament, he opted for a hand-to-mouth existence in the shadows until he was arrested and deported. Now a permanent resident of Canada, based in Vancouver, he advocates for refugees around the world. Read More Read Less