The need for a School of Humanity in Ethiopia, and ERCS initiative to be supported by many professionals in the country and abroad. Curriculum development, teaching, management, etc.
Abera Tola – President, Ethiopian Red Cross Society
Last week, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society organized an event at the Inter-Luxury hotel to celebrate the International Volunteers Day and honor those humanitarian volunteers who have fallen, and their physical and emotional state was disabled because of the war and conflict in the country. I was invited to deliver an opening remark and given to read a two-pager prepared by our communication team.
Instead, I chose to speak from my authentic self, share what is aching and disturbing me over the last two years. ‘The ignominy of humanity’! Why the moral decadence when we claim that we are one of the oldest nations who have contributed architectural, institutional, moral, and spiritual civilization to the world? When we had our own highly developed democratic political-legal system called the Gada system for thousands of years, which explains a contract between citizens and state, govern the behavior and conduct of the person and his relationship to himself, God, the rest of the society and the environment?
When our ancestors built the Rock hewn churches of Lalibela to glorify God and the Christian faith, and many sacrificed their lives while disseminating the teaching of Christ and Christian values? When the Nejashi Mosque remains the second oldest mosque built by people close to the Prophet is a sanctuary for Muslims and spread of Islamic values in Ethiopia and beyond? All these attests to the fact that our ancestors had values. Values, which embrace humanity. Why did we depart from moral values, beliefs, and principles, which woven us as a society? It is easy to scape got social media or individuals who are profiting by breathing hot air and disassociating their victims from the values of humanity.
The social media brought to our attention the heinous crimes committed by a person or persons against another human being. It demonstrated to us the level of brutality and demonic practice reached where killing by itself alone didn’t satisfy the diabolical soul. And mirrored to us where we are as a society. How our moral threads and social values, which woven us together as a society are shredded.
What is to be done? Education! Education can stun a stunted mind. Education can slacken a wounded heart. A School of Humanity is a call for education to save our society, pull out the country from the current quagmire of disgrace and contribute to join the rest of the civilized and vibrant global community where humanity matters. A School of Humanity is a vision for Ethiopian Red Cross Society to provide formal education for young men and women on humanity.
However, this vision cannot be realized without the ardent support and involvement of kindhearted and generous people who are compassionate enough to contribute their time, knowledge, and wisdom. Let us build and realized the School of Humanity, together!
By: Abera Tola – President, Ethiopian Red Cross Society
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