Shadi Martini is a Syrian businessman who, by circumstance of the Syrian war, became a refugee, an activist, and a humanitarian leader.
Shadi was educated at the Aleppo Scientific College and later received his BA from Beirut University College in 1993. He then moved to Bulgaria, where he established his own manufacturing company. In 2008, after starting a family and enjoying several successful years in business, he returned to Syria, where he became general manager of Martini Hospital in Aleppo.
After demonstrations began in March 2011, the Syrian government began prosecuting anyone suspected of helping those who opposed the regime. During this time, the climate of violence and suspicion led many health facilities to deny care to the sick and wounded out of fear of reprisal by the Syrian government. Despite the danger, Shadi set up an underground network to provide free healthcare to civilians in need. When the operation was discovered in mid-2012, Shadi was forced to flee.
From his refuge in Bulgaria, Shadi founded the humanitarian Refugee Support Group, established European aid networks, and served as the NGO Sector Representative to the Bulgarian Government’s Crisis Committee. In 2014, he relocated to the U.S. and soon organized two medical missions to support refugees in Greece.
Shadi continued his work from the U.S., which led to his involvement with the Multifaith Alliance (MFA), a non-profit organization that represents the largest interfaith response to the Syrian humanitarian crisis. At MFA, he quickly rose to become Chief Executive Officer, devoting his vision, experience, and drive to facilitating partnerships among Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim communities to create a network of support for Syrian refugees and other vulnerable communities around the world.
When hateful campaigns and xenophobic rhetoric stoked fear and contempt against Syrians and other refugees who were attempting to escape violence, Shadi’s method to overcome these scare tactics has always been to highlight the contributions of these refugees to American society, and remind the public of the values that have made the United States a beacon of hope for a nation of immigrants.