Ratna Omidvar is an internationally recognized voice on migration, diversity and inclusion. In 2016, Ms. Omidvar was appointed to the Senate of Canada as an independent Senator representing Ontario. Senator Omidvar is the Chair of the Senate’s Social Affairs, Health and Technology Committee and the Vice-President of the Canada-Germany Interparliamentary Group. She previously served as Deputy Chair of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector.

Senator Omidvar is a Director at the Century Initiative, a Councillor on the World Refugee and Migration Council, and a Founding Committee Member of Lifeline Afghanistan. She is also a Juror for the Global Centre for Pluralism’s annual Pluralism Award.

Senator Omidvar is co-author of Flight and Freedom: Stories of Escape to Canada (2015) and co-editor of Five Good Ideas: Practical Strategies for Non-Profit Success (2011).

Senator Omidvar was appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2005 and became a Member of the Order of Canada in 2011, with both honours recognizing her advocacy work on behalf of immigrants and devotion to reducing inequality in Canada. In 2014, Senator Omidvar received the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of her contribution to the advancement of German-Canadian relations.