2020 was a year to remember, where the existence of all homo sapiens on this blue planet turned upside down; for a stint, one might hold that liveliness on this earth ceased and that humankind vanished from the present. At the same time that several humans were battling for their lives in hospitals, others tried their best to stay safe by confining in their habitations. For that matter, a state of emergency was declared worldwide, where no one was allowed to travel, even to say a last goodbye to their late father or mother. Without a doubt, Covid-19 redefined the social norms, in which it became impossible to see overflowing streets or people outside without putting on their masks and respecting social distancing.
For a bit, hope seemed to be lost. But it was never the case because people were there for each other, though they could not meet physically as all on-site gatherings were banned. In that period, the medical staff doubled their efforts to show their solidarity with the people to send a message of trust and avoid the catastrophe. Citizens on the other side were dedicating a daily hour by night to clap from their balconies to express their solidarity with the medical practitioners. Human beings knew that compassion can heal and that it is the sole elucidation of the problem.
Human life has altered on all levels to cope with the new regulations. For instance, teachers and their students shifted from the classical method of studies to e-lectures, where tutors showed a colossal understanding. On the other side, students were flexible in dealing with the novel status quo. Likely, employees started working from their homes. To keep their families and their lives safe and boost their countries’ economies. Moreover, to help other citizens hold to the rhythm of their lives before the pandemic. Allegedly, the pandemic made people positively have second thoughts.
It is essential to mention that the 14th Dalai Lama once said that universal responsibility is an eminent concern. All humans on this mother earth need to develop it without racial, religious, or even sexual discrimination. He added that this responsibility begins with each individual and is not only associated with those who are in leading positions. In its Declaration on the Human Person, the World Youth Alliance (WYA) stressed self-gift. The individual can answer the question “who am I” only via a practice of love, i.e., loving and understanding the other persons.
WYA remotely gathered youth aged 10 to 30 in several programs in all six regional offices in the time of confinement. WYA Middle East and North Africa, like the others, congregated young members from the region in a series of programs and events. The first to be mentioned is the Certified Training Program, a set of texts that display WYA’s mission. For ten weeks, participants get engaged in a series of discussions and debates that end with the participant getting certified. Another prominent opportunity is the regional internship, where interns receive the needed assistance to become skilled in many domains like events management, research, and writing. To boot, in November, the regional office organized a virtual Emerging Leaders Conference to tackle women’s rights and their reproductive health.
Though the global pandemic levied unusual restrictions and made human beings think twice before stepping out of their dwellings, it boosted the level of solidarity between people. They recognized that the sole solution is concordance.
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Published: March 24, 2021
Written by Zakarya Ameur-Said, a WYAMENA Online Regional Intern.