Palestinian Authority prime minister Salam Fayyad will make the argument for statehood at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
Fayyad is scheduled to appear at a press conference on Sept. 11 in conjunction with the Toronto premiere of “State 194,” producer Participant Media said Tuesday.
The documentary by Dan Setton (“Shattered Dreams of Peace”) follows the Palestinian leader’s efforts to gain United Nations recognition as the 194th independent state. It charts the diplomatic and military conflicts between the Palestinians and Israel by focusing on Fayyad’s attempts to forge a new course in the troubled history of the region.
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Setton will appear at the press conference along with producer Elise Pearlstein. The press conference will also include representatives of The Parents Circle Families Forum, a grassroots group aimed at promoting reconciliation between Israel and Palestine.
The film premieres on Sept. 10, and Fayyad is expected to attend the screening that night.
Fayyad earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Texas and has served in various capacities in the Palestinian government, including finance minister. He is seen as relatively pro-Western and was appointed prime minister by President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.