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Dear
friends,
Something beautiful has
happened in the last few weeks -- I think
we’ve all seen it.
In the face of a
vicious pandemic, when it would have been so
easy for fear and selfishness to rule, we've
found our shared humanity again.
But
there's a danger that as we beat this
pandemic, the tenderness of this moment will
fade too. We can already see it in the
divisions being redrawn for political gain and
the conspiracy theories going viral.
The
spirit of compassion, wisdom, and unity that
millions of us have felt amidst this horrific
crisis is a fragile thing that needs to be
defended.
That’s why, with the help of
Avaazers across the globe, we've curated ten
of the most beautiful stories of this shining
new humanity. It's to remind us of who we
really are when it matters most, and that we
really are capable of meeting the biggest
threats we face -- together.
In Bangalore, India, one
little restaurant called Desi Masala is feeding
more than 10,000 vulnerable people every day --
and they aren't the only ones! Thousands of
volunteers, everywhere, are helping to cook
fresh, healthy food for frontline workers and
those in need.
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This is Elena Pagliarini, a nurse from
Italy, passing out at her desk after an
exhausting night shift -- days later she tested
positive for Covid-19. Elena’s passion stands
for the millions of hospital staff who are
risking their own lives to save those of others.
Every. Single. Day.
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After decades of fighting each other,
rival gangs around Cape Town have agreed an
unprecedented truce and are now working together
to bring food to struggling households in their
communities. "What we're seeing happen here is
literally a miracle," said Pastor Andie
Steele-Smith.
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When the Maasai of the Nashulai
conservancy in Kenya sent Avaaz an urgent cry
for help after tourism collapsed because of
Covid-19, over 100,000 of us answered in a
heartbeat, with funding for food, health and
sanitation supplies, and to pay rangers to keep
protecting the wildlife. Thank you, Avaazers,
you are wonderful!
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Never before, scientists say, have they
seen such collaboration across the globe. And
Prof Sarah Gilbert is one of the women at the
forefront, leading a team of dedicated
researchers to find a vaccine against Covid-19.
Now world leaders have pledged €7.4 billion to
help and ensure any vaccine is also distributed
in poorer countries.
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At the end of April, more than 200 brave
doctors from Cuba got on a plane to South Africa
to help fight coronavirus. They're part of a
global army of medical professionals that are
leaving their families behind to help countries
in need. |
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This is Hassan, a former Syrian refugee
who joined over 750,000 (!!) UK citizens who
signed up to help the national health service.
He's now working as a cleaner at his local
hospital, and says, “London has been my home
since leaving Syria, and the least I can do is
make sure my neighbours and the amazing NHS
staff are safe and sound."
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People in Naples, Italy, have been
leaving "solidarity baskets" for those who are
struggling. The note reads: "Put in, if you can.
Take out, if you can't." And it’s not just
Naples: across the planet, citizens are helping
out their neighbours, from buying groceries to
cooking meals for those in need. How beautiful
is that? |
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Setting an example for countries
everywhere, Portugal has given all refugees and
migrants with pending applications full
citizenship during the crisis, granting them
access to free health care, welfare benefits,
bank accounts, and rental contracts.
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This is Captain Tom Moore, a
100-year-old man in Britain who set out to raise
some money for the health service by walking
back and forth in his garden. His walk captured
the hearts of thousands, and he's now raised
over £32 million! And for his 100th birthday,
people sent him more than 125,000 birthday
cards! 💛 |
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If you enjoyed these stories,
feel
free to share them 😊 |
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And those are
just ten stories; there are thousands more, of
ordinary people doing wonderful, heartwarming
things, everywhere.
They're a
reminder of humanity's inherent goodness, and an
invitation to reimagine our world, and what
it means to be human in these unprecedented
times.
This pandemic is far from over,
and there will be many more crises to come --
but seeing how we are able to rise to this one,
together, gives me confidence for what lies
ahead.
Here's to humanity!
Mike,
Nax, Fey, Martyna, Mouhamad, Chris, Ricken and
the whole team at Avaaz
Did you enjoy this email?
We'd
love your feedback! |
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Avaaz is a 60-million-person global campaign
network
that works to ensure that the views and values of
the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz"
means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live
in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18
countries on 6 continents and operates in 17 languages. Learn
about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here,
or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
You became a member of the Avaaz
movement and started receiving these emails when you signed
"Join Avaaz!" on 2013-08-06 | | |
