Biographical Information
Below is a brief description of Omar Bandar's goals,
accomplishments, and educational background.
Omar Bandar is first generation American of Palestinian heritage. Omar currently works as a Business Adviser and Project Manager for a real estate development company and an investment property holding firm. As part of these positions Omar is currently working to develop an International Arts & Community Center in Somerville, Massachusetts. Prior to his current positions, Omar worked for the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts,
as an aide to a Cambridge City Councillor and as a Special Assistant and project manager for the
Mayor of Cambridge in the office of Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves. For
more then a decade Omar has professionally worked towards, and been personally devoted to, human rights and social justice issues, to peace and community building, and to anti-violence efforts.
In his community, Omar has worked with the mentally handicapped, the homeless, and on urban neighborhood crime and safety issues. Within his State, Omar had worked on reforming Massachusetts ’ Criminal Offender Records Information legislation. Nationally, Omar has promoted human rights for the incarcerated and has worked to improve upon the living and economic conditions within Native American communities. Internationally,
Omar has worked with the Delphi International Program of World
Learning, contributing to the diplomatic efforts of the U.S. State
Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, has participated in public diplomacy efforts in the West Bank, and represented the City of Cambridge at the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities’ Executive Board meetings and General Assemblies in Suwon, South Korea; Sochi, Russian Federation; and Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
As part of an ongoing project on prisoner's rights issues internationally, Omar conducted an eleven county comparative study tour of criminal justice and human/prisoners’ rights organizations and prisons in Europe.
Omar holds a Certificate in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C., a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the American Graduate School of International Relations and Diplomacy in Paris, France, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts, and an Associates Degree in Business Administration from Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
With a diverse background including incarceration, international public diplomacy,
public and private sector consultancy, and altruistic volunteerism, Omar has a unique background and insight into violence,
human rights, peace building, and the power of education and the power
of the individual to work towards personal and societal change.