Remembering Stephen Lewis, 1937 – 2026
Patsy George, Emeritus Director, Stephen Lewis Foundation
“ Stephen’s deep caring, sense of humour, and exquisite speaking ability focussed on bringing peace and freedom for all will remain his legacy. ”David Morley, Co-Chair, Stephen Lewis Foundation
“ There’s no one who could gather up the facts and feelings and call us all to act the way Stephen did. He changed the sea in which all international organizations work. ”Ilana Landsberg-Lewis, Co-Founder, Stephen Lewis Foundation
“ It was the greatest honour in life to join my father in the founding and work of the SLF. I know he was so proud to be in common cause with wonderful SLF colleagues, the grandmothers across sub-Saharan Africa and Canada, and the principled and effective community-based organizations with which all of us, past and present at the SLF, have had the privilege to stand in solidarity. ”Idah Mukuka Nambeya, Senior Advisor to the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign
Stephen leaves a very big legacy and a mark on the continent. My country, Zambia, will never forget him.Gillian Mathurin
“ Since the news of Stephen’s passing, my phone has been buzzing with messages from friends and former colleagues, sharing memories of Stephen and how he touched our lives. He definitely changed the trajectory of mine … I’m so glad to have known him and I’m grateful I got to tell him how much he meant to me while he was still with us. My sincere condolences… The world was a better place because he was here. ”Claire Donovan
“ I wish to send love and peace to Stephen’s family as they mourn their loss and celebrate Stephen’s amazing life and accomplishments and modelling of how to have an impact in impossible situations. He changed the world for the better, and inspired so many of us to act for justice and speak out when needed. ”Sajid Premji
“ Extending my condolences to the Lewis family and to the Foundation, as he was, to so many, Stephen Lewis was a hero of mine…. He was a great man, a great Canadian, and his voice will be deeply missed. ”Fiona Gold
“ My greatest condolences to the family of Stephen Lewis and the Stephen Lewis Foundation. As a registered nurse working in HIV care …. He inspired so many of us nurses that were working in very challenging circumstances in the HIV and AIDS field here in Vancouver…. He was a man of great humility and integrity and will be missed. ”Barb Bissonette
“ Remembering a truly wonderful man. A life well lived. ”Katharine Muis
“ Stephen Lewis changed the course of my life … Stephen’s stories and calls for actions truly moved me, and I pursed a career of Nursing … In my final year of Nursing school I organized a clinical placement in rural Kenya … I was extremely fortunate to meet Stephen on campus at McMaster University with tears in my eyes, as I met a hero of mine. He was kind, patient and encouraging. Thank you, Stephen, for your inspiration to so many lives around the world, it changed me forever. ”Mr. Motloheloa Molupe, Touch Roots Africa
“ Touch Roots Africa (TRA) in Lesotho honors the life and legacy of Stephen Lewis, a natural born leader, humanitarian and human rights advocate whose unwavering commitment to dignity, justice, and health equity transformed the lives of children and communities in Lesotho. His leadership and compassion strengthened community-led responses to HIV and AIDS across Africa, ensuring that the voices of the most vulnerable were seen, heard, and supported. ”Brian and Chris Charlton
“ Canada has lost a giant: an indefatigable fighter for justice and equality who had the unparalleled oratorical power to bring others along. He did so much for so many – including the two of us. Rest in power, Stephen. And deepest condolences to the whole Lewis family and all who loved him. ”Jacqueline Gujarati
“ We join you in grief as we have lost a great humanitarian. Stephen touched so many lives in his relentless work for social justice and human rights, inspiring all of us to do better … Stephen’s kindness and compassion for others was evident in his masterful storytelling which would touch even the hardest heart. Stephen will be greatly missed but his legacy lives on. ”Josephine Brenda, KAWODEP-Kenya
“ We are deeply saddened by this great loss of a true warrior in the fight against HIV. His dedication … and his belief in the power of grassroots organizations have made a lasting impact. He touched many lives, bringing hope and better tidings to families affected by HIV. Many families stand strong today because of his initiatives and passion for humanity…. He was a beacon of hope, turning lives around and bringing safety and security to those in need. His legacy will live on. ”Eric Nippard
“ I recall hearing Mr. Lewis speak during his days as a politician. I can remember my admiration for the sense of passion that he put forth and the humility that he conveyed to his listening audience. The world has lost an amazing orator, politician, a humanitarian, and a shining example of a true and caring human being. ”Yvonne Richards-Cooper
“ It gives me hope. That someone saw us, fought for us, that we matter. As a woman living with HIV since 1998 I loved the passion with which he spoke about gender inequality. I felt seen. Thank you. ”Jacqueline Ngonzi
“ Lewis, was truly a great man. His work made a profound difference, especially across Africa, where HIV once devastated so many lives. His legacy will continue to inspire and impact generations. You have left footsteps. ”Muhaari, Field Representative, Stephen Lewis Foundation
“ Stephen embodied a rare combination of passion for community, unwavering conviction, and the courage to speak truth, even when it was difficult. He was a fierce advocate for people living with HIV around the world, and a tireless defender of the rights and dignity of grandmothers, women, and vulnerable children. Working within the foundation he built, I have seen firsthand the depth of his impact and the lives he transformed. His voice, his presence, and his relentless pursuit of justice will be profoundly missed. ”Sheila Green
“ I had the great honour of introducing Stephen when he spoke at the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign in Ottawa 10 years ago. As always, he charmed, challenged and inspired each and every one of us in the audience as he spoke about the challenges still facing the ongoing crisis of HIV and AIDs in sub-Saharan Africa. His compassion for humanity and his unrelenting courage and determination to fight against disease and injustice will continue to inspire generations who care about their fellow human beings. ”Honouring an unwavering force in the movement to end the HIV epidemic
It is with profound sadness that the Foundation shares the news of the passing of our co-founder Stephen Lewis.
Stephen was a respected humanitarian who spent his life championing social justice and human rights. Throughout his political and international careers, he was committed to creating a more equitable world.
“We learned, early on, that the strength and resilience of communities and community projects is the road to hope, to empathy, to survival. The Stephen Lewis Foundation will never let its guard down. We know the tasks are herculean.”
– Stephen Lewis, Grassroots, 2021
An extraordinary Canadian committed to creating a better world
Watch our executive director reflect on Stephen’s legacy
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Help honour Stephen’s legacy and his determination for a fairer, more equitable world by making a gift in his memory to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
Your gift will help our community partners continue to provide care and support for young women and girls, members of LGBTIQ communities, grandmothers caring for orphaned children, and people living with HIV.
An extraordinary Canadian committed to creating a better world
Stephen began his career as an NDP member of the Ontario legislature from 1963 to 1978, during which time he became party leader and leader of the official opposition. In 1984 he was appointed across party lines as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, where he served until 1988.
Stephen served as the UN Secretary-General’s special advisor on Africa from 1986 to 1991, and he was the deputy executive director of UNICEF from 1995 to 1999.
During this period, Stephen worked on several significant reports. In 1992, as the special advisor on race relations to the Premier of Ontario, he was responsible for the “Stephen Lewis Report on Race Relations in Ontario.”
Working with UNICEF in 1993, he coordinated the “Graça Machel study,” which was the first global study on the impact of armed conflict on children. Ms. Machel’s report was presented to the UN General Assembly in 1996.
In 1997, in addition to his work at UNICEF, Mr. Lewis was appointed by the Organization of African Unity (precursor to the African Union) to a Panel of Eminent Personalities to Investigate the Genocide in Rwanda. “Rwanda: The Preventable Genocide” was published in June 2000.
In 2001, Stephen was appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as his special envoy for HIV and AIDS in Africa. Throughout his travels, Stephen was confronted by the ravages of AIDS: overflowing medical wards, endless funerals, and village after village with people—often young women—in the throes of death.
His personal connections with the people he met informed the urgency of his message to the global community: that the expertise needed to confront the pandemic resided with the communities most affected. With this in mind, in 2003 Stephen recruited his daughter, Ilana Landsberg-Lewis, to create a foundation to support HIV and AIDS grassroots organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. Over a kitchen table, the Stephen Lewis Foundation was born.
Within a few short years, the Foundation was raising $10 million a year from supporters, many of whom were inspired by Stephen’s message and his unparalleled gift for oratory. He was brilliant and loquacious, and possessed a seemingly encyclopedic list of facts and figures, but the real power behind his fiery speeches was that they came from the heart.
A committed feminist—values Stephen credited his wife, Michele Landsberg, with instilling—he knew gender inequality was driving the AIDS pandemic. He saw women denied treatment, women who were victims of violence, and women living with HIV who had the caretaking burden for their families and households.
And while women were at the centre of the community response, they were not afforded the same access to the international stage. “Somehow the women have been excluded from making the decisions,” he said. “And that’s not an accident.”
Often, those women were grandmothers. In August 2006, the SLF hosted the first Grandmothers Gathering in Toronto: an unprecedented meeting of 300 Canadian and African grandmothers that launched the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. By its 15th anniversary in 2021, the campaign had raised $40 million for community-based organizations supporting African grandmothers.
Stephen was relentless in his calls for greater access to testing and treatment, increased global funding, and the political will to end the pandemic. In 2007, his determination to expose the systemic injustices underlying AIDS led him to co-found with Paula Donovan the international advocacy organization AIDS-Free World. He continued demanding the world’s attention on issues of global inequity, including access to vaccines, and climate change.
In 2021, he spoke of the determination of the Foundation’s partners to forge ahead in the face of COVID-19. He joyfully wrote of the recognition by the world’s aid agencies—finally—of community-based interventions. “Africa knows what it takes to withstand the ferocity of contagious diseases. What we have is the triumph of community-based prevention, treatment and care,” he proudly proclaimed.
Stephen Lewis was a Companion of the Order of Canada, recipient of the Pearson Peace medal, and the World Pride Human Rights Award. Among his many esteemed roles, he served as an advisory committee member to Human Rights Watch Canada, as a commissioner on the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, and he served terms on the boards of the Clinton Health Access Initiative and on the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. He received 42 honorary doctorates from Canadian and American universities.
Stephen is survived by his wife, Michele Landsberg, their three children, Ilana, Avi, and Jenny, and four grandchildren, Zev, Yoav, Zimri, and Toma, and by his siblings Michael Lewis, Janet Solberg, and Nina Libeskind and their families.
His legacy will live on through the work of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, our staff, volunteers, supporters, and partners. We remain steadfast in continuing the work he believed in so deeply.