19 August 2011

World Humanitarian Day, 2011




Sometimes, I get so wrapped up in design projects, my family, and this blog, among other things -- that I lose track of what is going on in the world.  This summer has been one of those times.

The other day  I watched the BBC World News where starving children and their families in the Horn of Africa caught my attention.  So many children in this world lead lives of silent desperation due to famine, war and armed conflict, rising food prices, AIDs, greed, ignorance, and so on.  Its always amazing to me that here in the "land of plenty" we are so sheltered from these events.  Here, if we are well-informed, we worry about the stock market plunge, our growing national debt,  the on-going political debate between Democrats and Republicans that the 24/7 cable news channels have made their topic of the week, and perhaps an international story of the week -- last week the youth riots in Britain; this week the famine in Somalia, and next week, the never-ending Israeli-Palestinian conflict perhaps?  Who knows what they will choose!  

In our own daily lives we face many concerns of our own: from the serious to petty woes: illness, fear of unemployment,  child care issues, rocky relationships, and so on.  In the design world, we focus on which faucet should we select for the new kitchen, or agonize over paint colors, floor samples, textiles, case-goods, etc.   Yet,  everyday thousands of families around the world suffer from natural and not-so-natural catastrophes; climate change, the scarcity of clean potable water,  rising fuel prices, war, famine, disease, poverty, rising global food prices, cultural misogyny leading to callous indifference to one another, and everywhere around us: violence.

If you too are moved to tears by this situation, please, please, learn more.  Knowledge is power!  Go to the link below and get educated about the world.  Each of us can make a difference not just today on World Humanitarian Day, but everyday.   In the words of the U.N. Secretary General:

Let those we honour today inspire us to start our own journey to make the world a better place and bring our human family more closely together.”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon 



I hope you will go to the link and be moved to help those less fortunate too!  Please go to World Humanitarian Day.

One other link explains the impact of the current Famine-in-Somalia

Thank you!  

Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo,
Millie












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