Danny Hakim, a two-time world Karate silver medalist and philanthropist, is both the Founder and Chairman of Budo for Peace- an Israeli NGO member of ALLMEP. He founded the organization in 2004 as the translation of his vision to create a society in which socially constructed rivals can conquer their cultural, social, and political differences through the universal language of sport. In 2018 Budo for Peace was awarded 2018 Regional NGO of the Year by the Prince of Monaco’s organization Peace and Sport.
Danny has represented Australia, Israel and Japan in several international Karate competitions and is was inducted in the Maccabi Australia Sports Hall of Fame.
Danny’s belief in social change is evident not only in his passion for martial arts but also his interest in and talent for film-making. His international award-winning documentary, Shadya, was endorsed by the PBS network for their educational women’s empowerment series. In addition, several of his works on the subject of martial arts and social reform have been published including “Budo’s Potential for Peace: Breaking down barriers in the Israel-Palestinian Conflict.” Bennett, A. (2005). Budo Perspectives (Vol. 1). Kendo World Publications.
Danny holds a B.Sc. in Biotechnology from the University of New South Wales, Sydney and a Masters in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Swinburne University, Melbourne.
