David Abrahams Profile
David Abrahams
If I was to sum myself up in one word, it would be the word ‘doer’. I put things into action. I believe in something and I go for it, whether it is regenerating areas, promoting health awareness or building bridges. I’m constantly busy, constantly being proactive, constantly improving people’s quality of life.
My current and most exciting project is Durham Green Business Park. £1billion is to be invested in the site, expecting to create over 5,000 permanent jobs in the North East. Unfortunately the neighbouring area has the second highest rate of 18-25 unemployment in the country. This must be improved. Additionally, all profits from the business park will go to charity as I am a strong believer in corporate and social responsibility.
Following on from this, I support over 70 charitable and voluntary organizations. I’m currently involved in the “Every Man Alive” charity, which aims to promote the importance of checking for testicular cancer and eliminating the taboo of talking openly about private health issues. I was moved by the history of the charity’s cause: concerning a boy called Mathew Gough who was only 18 years and was embarrassed by his symptoms and left the cancer untreated for too long. The delay cost him his life. Despite the high number of prostate cancer cases in the UK, it has a 99% chance of being cured if caught at an early stage. I hope my charitable work will help bring about that much needed change.
I devote much of my time to projects aimed at creating an open society. By establishing a Chair in International Politics of the Middle East at Warwick University, I hope to empower students by making them more politically and socially aware. With education comes equal opportunities and freedom of speech. University is the ideal environment to integrate different cultures and foster better relations between them. Through the Chair and its different avenues – research, PhD supervision, conferences and women rights in the Middle East – I want to empower individuals to make educated, considered and decisions, building a more open and free society.
