Opinion by Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of The Big Heart Foundation, on World Refugee Day
Sharjah, June 19, 2024
On World Refugee Day, let’s shift our perspective. Rather than focusing solely on what we can provide to refugees, let us acknowledge the depth and immensity of the life lessons we can learn from their resilience, strength and their human spirit.
Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of The Big Heart Foundation, on World Refugee Day
As I share this observation, there are over 2 million of these lessons coming out of Gaza, whose people, though fraught by an unprecedented humanitarian crisis for over 250 days, continue to teach us that in the age where nations enjoy their most advanced militaries the world has even seen, the power of collective human spirit is undefeatable. It still is our greatest global strength.
In a city turned to rubble, amid catastrophic levels of starvation, collapsed healthcare and education systems, and deprived of the very basic human amenities needed to support life, the Gazan people teach us invaluable life lessons each day as they demonstrate their immense power of collective endurance and community spirit.
Have you heard about ‘Schools without Borders’? The brainchild of a 24-year-old Palestinian lawyer and UNICEF educator, Nur Nassar, the mobile education initiative was a response to the systematic destruction of Palestine’s education systems in the past seven months, and continues to bring education to displaced Palestinian children regardless of where they have to evacuate to. This is but one amongst millions of stories of resilience that not just Palestinian people but forcibly displaced communities worldwide continue to display in the face of crisis to meet critical unmet humanitarian needs.
Another remarkable initiative is the psychological support provided by local youths. Unlike typical support systems that come from outside the conflict zones, these young individuals, who have themselves witnessed and endured immense tragedies, travel between shelters, tents, UNRWA schools, and hospital courtyards. They deliver entertainment and psychological relief programmes to displaced children, showcasing an incredible strength and capacity for compassion that transcends their suffering.
Gaza’s lessons transcend the boundaries of education and psychological health, offering us a moving glimpse into the depths of human ingenuity. Amid the rubble, children devise ways to charge mobile phones and power household devices with makeshift tools. Men develop techniques to desalinate seawater and concoct sustenance from meagre resources. These innovations, birthed from sheer necessity, illuminate a resourcefulness that is truly extraordinary.
On this World Refugee Day, we celebrate the unyielding spirit of those who refuse to be confined by their circumstances. In their struggles and triumphs, we find the seeds of our own potential. Their resilience teaches us that the human spirit is boundless, capable of transforming adversity into a source of innovation and strength. Let their example lead us to live with purpose and passion, and to find beauty and strength in even the most challenging of circumstances.
-ENDS-