Our Country Will Be the Pioneer in World Peace
Dr. A K Abdul Momen
Bangladesh Ambassador and former Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Let me start with a story.
My niece, my brother’s daughter, was 18 years old at that time. Medical reports suggested that she was suffering from anemia. Later she was diagnosed with leukemia. Though we started treatment immediately, it eventually turned into blood cancer. The only known treatment for blood cancer is bone-marrow transplant. But it wasn’t easy to find a bone-marrow donor back then.
They were living is the United States. After searching everywhere, they found a match in a bone-marrow bank in Texas. She had a surgery but we didn’t know who the donor was. After 3 years, we came to know the bone-marrow was donated by a Hindu-guy.
Along with series of medicines, she was having chemotherapy after the operation. With all these in effect, both of her kidneys became damaged. She had to go through dialysis regularly. We could not find anyone to donate a kidney. The situation was so pathetic that one day she herself sent out emails asking, “My life is ending soon. Is there any kind hearted to donate a kidney?”
Within few days a guy, 5 years younger than her, replied. He belonged to an Afro-American Christian family. He didn’t have a father. His mother was a choir singer at a church. He managed his educational expenses from earning by cleaning that church. When this boy agreed, my niece had a kidney transplant. By the grace of God, she recovered slowly. The illness and weakness from her medication also faded. Later she completed her MBA from Columbia University. Now she is working as a campaign manager at a cancer hospital in New York.
Just think of the situation: a Hindu guy donated his bone-marrow to a Muslim girl and later a Christian guy donated his kidney to that same girl. This actually proves that humanity is superior to any religion or race.
I am really happy to attend this program to felicitate the voluntary blood donors. You all are donating selflessly. You definitely do not judge who will receive the blood. I’m surprised at this event knowing there are still so many people in our country devoted to charity like this. You guys are on the journey of becoming the true honor of mankind- the Ahsraful Makhlukat- in the truest sense of it. Honestly, I am overwhelmed to be in the presence of such humane people.
I came to know from the data of Quantum Voluntary Blood Donation Program that total 8,98,277 units of blood and blood components were delivered from 2000 till July of 2017. Another statistics to be proud of is there are 918 Golden donors, who donated blood at least 25 times.
Also, 44,564 units of blood were distributed with least amount of processing cost. I also thank Quantum for delivering 33,460 units of blood and blood components free of cost among those who could not afford it. I only knew about Quantum Foundation recently. I never attended any of its programs before. I think they are doing really good activities. By arranging blood donation they are saving lives and serving humanity.
It is a matter of regret that the whole world has immersed in war, crime and terrorism these days. People are becoming refugees in many different countries. They have to flee from their own home, workplace, country and heritage. In this year, 2017, more than 60 million people became refugees. This is the highest number of people who turned refugees in such a short span of time in the history of mankind. We, too, had to become refugees in 1971. We were forced to take shelter in our neighbouring country, but we had a hope to return to our motherland. Unfortunately, the people becoming refugees now may not have the slightest of this hope.
Main reason for war is ignorance and lack of education. Intolerance has increased, so has disrespect for others. To save our beautiful world from this massacre, we have to grow a tolerant mentality. We have to respect people of all cast and creed. Everyone is created by God and humanity is above all cast and religion- this should be the basis of our belief.
Bangladesh should lead the world in this context. America was discovered in 1492. Renaissance took place in Europe in the 17th century. But 600 years before renaissance, the famous poet of Bengal, Chandidas said, "Shobar upor manush shotto tahar upore nai" ("Above all is humanity, none else."*Kazi Nazrul Islam also sang the same, “Gahi shammer gaan- manusher theke boro kichu nai, nohe kichu mohian”(“Let's sing the song of equality. Nothing is greater than human, nor important”)*. So empathy and our country’s heritage are inextricably intertwined. This is why we should be the pioneer of world peace.
We learned about altruism in our school, college and at home. So we must take the lead and spread the message of peace from door to door. This act cannot be done by the Government or any individual in particular. I plead for your help in these regards. Because, seeing the environment and lessons of Quantum Foundation, I think you should be the ones to step ahead.
My niece, my brother’s daughter, was 18 years old at that time. Medical reports suggested that she was suffering from anemia. Later she was diagnosed with leukemia. Though we started treatment immediately, it eventually turned into blood cancer. The only known treatment for blood cancer is bone-marrow transplant. But it wasn’t easy to find a bone-marrow donor back then.
They were living is the United States. After searching everywhere, they found a match in a bone-marrow bank in Texas. She had a surgery but we didn’t know who the donor was. After 3 years, we came to know the bone-marrow was donated by a Hindu-guy.
Along with series of medicines, she was having chemotherapy after the operation. With all these in effect, both of her kidneys became damaged. She had to go through dialysis regularly. We could not find anyone to donate a kidney. The situation was so pathetic that one day she herself sent out emails asking, “My life is ending soon. Is there any kind hearted to donate a kidney?”
Within few days a guy, 5 years younger than her, replied. He belonged to an Afro-American Christian family. He didn’t have a father. His mother was a choir singer at a church. He managed his educational expenses from earning by cleaning that church. When this boy agreed, my niece had a kidney transplant. By the grace of God, she recovered slowly. The illness and weakness from her medication also faded. Later she completed her MBA from Columbia University. Now she is working as a campaign manager at a cancer hospital in New York.
Just think of the situation: a Hindu guy donated his bone-marrow to a Muslim girl and later a Christian guy donated his kidney to that same girl. This actually proves that humanity is superior to any religion or race.
I am really happy to attend this program to felicitate the voluntary blood donors. You all are donating selflessly. You definitely do not judge who will receive the blood. I’m surprised at this event knowing there are still so many people in our country devoted to charity like this. You guys are on the journey of becoming the true honor of mankind- the Ahsraful Makhlukat- in the truest sense of it. Honestly, I am overwhelmed to be in the presence of such humane people.
I came to know from the data of Quantum Voluntary Blood Donation Program that total 8,98,277 units of blood and blood components were delivered from 2000 till July of 2017. Another statistics to be proud of is there are 918 Golden donors, who donated blood at least 25 times.
Also, 44,564 units of blood were distributed with least amount of processing cost. I also thank Quantum for delivering 33,460 units of blood and blood components free of cost among those who could not afford it. I only knew about Quantum Foundation recently. I never attended any of its programs before. I think they are doing really good activities. By arranging blood donation they are saving lives and serving humanity.
It is a matter of regret that the whole world has immersed in war, crime and terrorism these days. People are becoming refugees in many different countries. They have to flee from their own home, workplace, country and heritage. In this year, 2017, more than 60 million people became refugees. This is the highest number of people who turned refugees in such a short span of time in the history of mankind. We, too, had to become refugees in 1971. We were forced to take shelter in our neighbouring country, but we had a hope to return to our motherland. Unfortunately, the people becoming refugees now may not have the slightest of this hope.
Main reason for war is ignorance and lack of education. Intolerance has increased, so has disrespect for others. To save our beautiful world from this massacre, we have to grow a tolerant mentality. We have to respect people of all cast and creed. Everyone is created by God and humanity is above all cast and religion- this should be the basis of our belief.
Bangladesh should lead the world in this context. America was discovered in 1492. Renaissance took place in Europe in the 17th century. But 600 years before renaissance, the famous poet of Bengal, Chandidas said, "Shobar upor manush shotto tahar upore nai" ("Above all is humanity, none else."*Kazi Nazrul Islam also sang the same, “Gahi shammer gaan- manusher theke boro kichu nai, nohe kichu mohian”(“Let's sing the song of equality. Nothing is greater than human, nor important”)*. So empathy and our country’s heritage are inextricably intertwined. This is why we should be the pioneer of world peace.
We learned about altruism in our school, college and at home. So we must take the lead and spread the message of peace from door to door. This act cannot be done by the Government or any individual in particular. I plead for your help in these regards. Because, seeing the environment and lessons of Quantum Foundation, I think you should be the ones to step ahead.
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