Andbank and Starlight Global continued their "Night of Inspiration" series that began this year with a bang at the Old Fort Bay Club in January, by hosting Mr. Walter Absil of The Montreal National Holocaust Memorial Centre. He himself is not only a successful entrepreneur, but a holocaust survivor who fled persecution in his homeland Austria by being smuggled into The Netherlands. Mr. Absil's parents were killed by the Gestapo during World War II, but he nonetheless saved his sister's life and his own through conditions unimaginable to today's teenager. How? Because Mr. Absil never accepted outside circumstances such as war, to dictate the outcome his life.
In fond recollection, Werner Gruner, Director at Andbank and founder of Starlight Global answered: "Walter taught me in his very simple yet profound wisdom that our life is determined by our own choices. We may not be able to control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. You know its humbling to hear that from a man who's seen and experienced some of the worst atrocities."
Also in the audience were Dr. Myles Munroe and Mrs. Munroe as well as Ms. Tirelo Molotlegi, Princess of the Royal Bafokeng Nation of South Africa. Dr. Munroe had recently returned from Fisk University, America's oldest black university, where he spoke in honor of Black History Month. They like Mr. Gruner were deeply moved by Mr. Absil's testament of strength.
Further, Daniel-Marc Brunner, Managing Director at Andbank, said that it was a tremendous privilege to share in not only this event, but in the Starlight Global movement dedicated to uplifting and empowering people, across all cultures and backgrounds. Mr. Brunner and Mr. Gruner thanked Rabbi Sholom Bluming for supporting this event.