Dear fellow traveller

 Dear fellow traveller on this journey of being human,

As we travel together enjoying this journey of life, bickering about the destination, worrying about its purpose, it can feel incredibly emotional and overwhelming.  When external circumstances divert our path or put in obstacles, it can feel uncertain.  The last few days have reminded me of the globalisation of fragility and the democratisation of inequality and inequity.  Just as we thought we were seeing the light at the end of the COVID tunnel, it seemed to have been blown up with an unsettling  prospect of another global war (on our doorsteps).  The journey will require great mental resolve and strength to get through these uncertain times.

So I wanted to share with you that it is ok not to be ok all the time.  It is ok to feel disoriented, overwhelmed, stress, sadness, loneliness and languishing, anxiety.  Believe me that I have had those moments of feeling overwhelmed and disconnected – from other people, from our own values or from hope about the future.  The last few days have been no different.

These emotions affect us in our jobs and our lives and pretending they don’t exist will not help us.  So I firstly wanted to say, that if you have experienced or are experiencing these roller coaster of emotions and doubts, please know that you are not alone!! I hear you, there is nothing to be worried or ashamed about and you do not need to turn it off when you get to work.  It is not a sign of weakness to show that you are vulnerable.  In fact as Rumi says :

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

As an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight.

This brings me to my second point, in that.  Please do take care of yourself.  There is no shame in feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, admitting that or even reaching out to talk to someone.   I want you to know that if you want support or someone to talk to or someone to listen, I am on the other side of a call.  But if it is not me there will always be someone to do that.

My third point, is that while it is ok not to feel ok, please know that in the long run, things will be OK.  Tomorrow is a new day and it has the potential to be great!!  You have to back yourself up and trust that all of your hard work, your delivering of value to the world, your visualizing and visioning, your personal growth practices, your journaling, your prayers and so on, will prepare you and allow you to stand steadfast in the trouble.  For those of you who have read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho we are reminded to : ‘Go; travel the world, look for the truth and the secret of life — every road will lead you to this sense of initiation: the secret is hidden in the place from which you set out’.  The path and destination starts with ourselves.   So in essence the radical self care that comes out of  personal peace practices whereby the constant effort that we make to purify, to control and liberate our hearts is in the end, reconciliation with the deepest level of our being and the all spark that the Creator breathed into our heart of humility, of compassion,  the awareness of fragility, the consciousness of limitation, the shoulder of responsibility. The responsibility is to live justly and fairly.  It is a responsibility that connects to the ‘other’, the responsibility to be that change for a  world which makes sense, a world in which we connect with other people, beyond our immediate communities and experience, and show them compassion and love.  It is now more than ever that we need to show that responsibility to connect to that other and the humility that we are not the rulers of the world but merely guardians of earth as we borrow from our grandchildren.    

Have faith that I and countless others have your back.  But more importantly, have conviction that  the higher force that works to keep the world in balance know what it’s doing.  Have faith that we as a species will eventually figure it all out and make things better through our native instinct for invention and progress.  But have faith that your little endeavors to change the world one person at a time is saving humanity.

So, take a long, great inhale.  Let it all go (while you keep doing your best).

Then go sit outside in the sunshine and bask in the love that the sun has for the earth, every day rising and never saying “you owe me”.  Let life do the rest.

May you shine so brightly that at the end of your days, all will pause and say ‘ah there was one who lived life fully and completely and gave back ’

Stay great. Stand Strong. Together we rise.

-Amjad

this originally appeared here on Euphrates Institute

What will it take to build an International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement free from racism, xenophobia and discrimination?

 In every society, there are people who experience racism and discrimination. Their impact is far-reaching, increasing the risk of interpersonal violence, exacerbating inequalities, creating mental health and psychosocial issues and hampering access to essential services, including during crises. Racism and discrimination lead to people being left out, left behind and left hurt because of what they look like or where they come from.

Racism and discrimination – as experienced by black, indigenous and other people of colour, people of certain castes and other marginalized groups – are colonial in their origins. They have led to deeply ingrained systemic attitudes and power inequalities that are visible in political, economic and social structures. These, in turn, have created intertwined layers of discrimination and oppression that have very tangible consequences for groups and individuals.

The intersection between these dynamics and humanitarianism presents a complex reality – including within and for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement) – and one that warrants investigation. The Council of Delegates workshop on 31 March 2022 aims to do just this.

As members of a global Movement, we cannot ignore the fact that we are the product of our own contexts and environments, and therefore influenced by different attitudes to racism and discrimination. We need to be conscious that our Movement’s history, our Fundamental Principles and our humanitarian work do not make us immune from bias, misperceptions, power imbalances, privilege, racism and discrimination.

Honest debate can reveal hard truths that enable us to collectively understand and acknowledge the issues and challenges we face and the steps we need to take to address them. Power imbalances, privilege, unconscious bias, processes and systems that provide some National Societies with greater resources and a seat at the table can lead to inequitable working practices and relationships. To tackle systemic and structural issues, to address cultural norms and individual bias and fears, we must challenge the system, the funding patterns, the culture and the structures that maintain and perpetuate privilege for some groups and individuals while restricting the rights and privileges of others. We have to be prepared to challenge this by asking: Can people see themselves represented here? Does our organizational culture relate to people’s lived experiences? How do we prioritize the views of local communities and work with them?

The rejection of all forms of discrimination and inequity lies at the heart of our Fundamental Principles and our values. Our principle of impartiality demands that there be no discrimination based on nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions if we are to properly respect the human being as set out in the principle of humanity. This is crucial if we are to relieve the suffering of people in need. It is equally important to remember that this extends to who we are as much as to whom we serve. Our principle of neutrality does not mean staying silent in the face of racism and violence. It means speaking out and transitioning from a passive stance of not directly engaging in racist or discriminatory behaviour (such as not acknowledging differences and not actively addressing systems of oppression) to dismantling systemic racism.

We need to transform the Movement so that it is characterized by anti-racist, decolonized and decolonizing humanitarian assistance. As a Movement, we need to have the courage to hold this debate and to have the sensitivity to ensure that all sides are considered. The case for anti-racism, diversity, equality and inclusion is a moral one. We need to do better, and not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the morally right thing to do – to treat people with dignity, respect and humanity.

Over the years, there have been many statutory commitments that have led to strategies, policies and operational plans related to diversity, inclusion and protection, and yet we are still falling short in fostering honest conversations about racism, discrimination and xenophobia. We need to do more to build trust between each other and with local communities and to improve respect for and acceptance of diversity. Any discussion must be followed by acts and long-term actions to nurture understanding and support for better practices within the Movement, enabling all to have their voices heard and respected.

originally published here