If we are serious about honouring the sacrifices of our humanitarian workers, we must actually act to solve the crises which these “heroes” risk their wellbeing to address.
These were the sentiments shared by Minister for Rural and Maritime Development Hon. Inia Seruiratu while officiating at the World Humanitarian Day celebration at the Civic Centre in Suva yesterday.
Hon. Seruiratu said we could never fittingly extol the men and women on the frontlines of humanitarian crises through a single day of recognition.
He said these “real-life heroes” deserved our gratitude every single day.
“Whether it is COVID-19, climate change, or both, our world is beset by challenges that bear tremendous human costs. Fiji, in many ways, is exceptionally vulnerable to some of the planet’s most severe humanitarian emergencies, particularly climate change. As a result, we hold special appreciation for our real-life Fijian heroes –– those first responders who shield our people from grave threats to their wellbeing, putting their own safety aside for the sake of others,” Hon. Seruiratu said.
Over the past several months, he said, the heroism of Fijian humanitarian workers has never shown more brilliantly.
He said this was evident during response efforts to affected communities following the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Harold when no single case of the virus was spread despite the evacuation of whole communities, the deployment of disaster officials to badly-hit regions, and the delivery of relief supplies.
“That feat is owed to vigilance and discipline of our highly-capable disaster relief officials, who –– due to the impacts of climate change –– have been battle-tested by cyclones of ever-intensifying ferocity.”
“In ways big and small, our lives have all been touched in some way by the real-life heroes serving humankind across the world, whether they are in Lebanon helping restore communities from the horrific devastation of the recent explosion in Beirut port, or in teams of mobile doctors delivering life-saving medical treatment in sub-Saharan Africa, or helping provide food and shelter to families displaced by human conflict or climate-driven events, like super-storms or the rising seas.
“But if we’re serious about honouring their sacrifices, simple “thank you-s” will not suffice. We must act to stop climate catastrophe before it spirals beyond our control. We must act to end conflict around the world. We must act to make public health a top priority globally, and ensure equal access to life-saving medical advances. That is how we truly acknowledge these heroes. That is how we join them in serving humanity.”
Given the ever-present threat of the COVID-19 virus on the lives of ordinary Fijians, Hon. Seruiratu has also pleaded with Fijians to commemorate this year’s World Humanitarian Day by seriously thinking about how each of us could keep our people safe from this pandemic.
“We may be safe today, but we cannot risk becoming complacent. The good habits we’ve picked up in the past few months must became new ways of life. Please, continue to be diligent about washing your hands, continue to maintain physical distance wherever possible, stay home when you’re feeling unwell and –– if you haven’t already –– please download the careFIJI digital contact tracing application. It’s the best tool we have to speed up contact tracing if it ever again becomes necessary,” he added.
Speaking during yesterday’s celebration, United Nations Resident Coordinator Mr. Sanaka Samarasinha said just last Saturday, we saw the Pacific stand United in a first ever virtual concert that featured talented diversity of musicians paying homage to frontline workers and lifting the spirits of our communities.
“Today we continue to pay tribute to both those working on COVID-19 but also those who have committed their lives to helping others through this, and the myriad of natural disasters that we grapple with annually. Never has it been more evident that localisation in our frontline responses to crises can be the Pacific’s greatest strength. Community led mobilisation has been vital at a time when there are point of entry restrictions, and finite resources.”
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Real Life Heroes”.