Father
Dave is best known for his work with at-risk young
people, especially in his use of boxing for those
suffering from substance abuse problems and anger-management
issues. He is also a 6th degree black belt and Australia’s
oldest active professional boxer. His progression
into martial arts and boxing came out of his attempt
to raise funds for his youth centre in Dulwich Hill,
where he was parish priest for thirty years. Father
Dave has been nominated three time for ‘Australian
of the Year’. He is an outspoken activist on
social justice and inter-faith issues. He is the proud
father of four children.
Why
teaching youth boxing can help reduce global violence
| Father Dave Smith | TEDxSurryHills
Drugs,
violence, intolerance and suicide are skerges that
ravage our youth. Father Dave Smith's youth centre
has saved many kids from the streets and themselves.
In his talk Dave Smith shares the idea that the art
of violence may be the improbable cure to our violent
society. David Smith (born 17 February 1962), also
known as Fighting Father Dave, is an Anglican priest
in Australia.
Smith
is best known for his work with at-risk youths, especially
in his use of boxing for those suffering from substance
abuse problems and anger management issues. He is
also a 6th degree black belt and a professional boxer.
His progression into martial arts and boxing happened
while he was attempting to raise funds for the community
in Dulwich Hill, where he is the parish priest.
Smith
is also a published author and has taken a very public
stance on various human-rights issues, most especially
the Palestinian occupation and the current war in
Syria where he opposes all forms of Western military
intervention.
Smith
has been twice awarded Marrickville Citizen of the
Year award and was nominated for Australian of the
Year in 2004 and 2009. In 2012, he broke the world
record for the most continuous rounds of boxing.[1]
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED
conference format but independently organized by a
local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
