Yesterday, December 20, the world over
celebrated the 2017 International Human Solidarity Day. The annual
International Human Solidarity Day was established on 22nd December
2005, by the United Nations (UN). Having acknowledged the fact that solidarity
is one of the basic and universal values that ought to underlie relations
between peoples in the Twenty-First Century, on the aforementioned date, the UN
General Assembly decided to proclaim December 20 each year as International
Human Solidarity Day.
Prior to the adoption of the Day
by the UN, by resolution on 20th December 2002, the General Assembly
established the World Solidarity Fund which was duly set up in February 2003 as
a trust fund of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its motive is
to eradicate poverty as well as promote social and human development in
developing countries, particularly amongst the poorest segments of their
populations.
Solidarity,
in a precise term, can be defined as a complete unity and support among people
of a certain group. It can also be addressed as an absolute togetherness
showcased by members or occupants of a given society or locality, as the case
might be.
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium
Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the
twenty-first (21st) century, wherein those who either suffer or
benefit least deserve help or support from those who benefit most.
Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing
inequality, the uplift of international solidarity remains unavoidable.
Surely, the concept of solidarity has defined the work of the UN since
the birth of the organization. The establishment of the UN drew the peoples and
nations of the world together to promote peace, human rights, social and
economic developments. The body was founded on a basic premise of unity and
harmony among its Member States. It is indeed in the spirit of solidarity that
the union relies on cooperation in resolving international plights or
misunderstanding of socio-economic, cultural and/or humanitarian origin in
order to maintain universal peace and security.
Frankly, solidarity is a very vital tool required to solve problems in
our interconnected world. We can only reach our shared goals if people are able
to participate in the formulation and implementation of plans, policies,
programmes, or what have you, to shape our common future, since it is already
noted that commitments without empowerment are merely words without meaning.
Having noticed that absolute unity is
synonymous with solidarity, there is no need reiterating the fact that thorough
brotherhood or unity can only be actualized through participation in
solidarity-related activities or causes. Thus, adoption of human solidarity by
any entity is no doubt a pathway towards actualizing absolute unity, which is
no doubt an epitome of exemplary peace and harmony.
Since it is apparent that
solidarity which guarantees absolute unity is as well a giant step toward
alleviating the poverty level of any society, hence there is an urgent need for
a right thinking citizen of any poverty-stricken nation such as Nigeria
alongside other developing countries across the globe to support the ongoing
human solidarity crusade as much as they can.
In addition, it is imperative for a country like Nigeria that is currently
ravaged by insurgency and other forms of treason to do everything humanly
possible to ensure that solidarity among the citizenry becomes the order of the
day without much ado.
Nigeria can promote thorough
brotherhood among her populace by closing the existing gaps including
ethnicity, corruption, nepotism, favouritism, religious cum social
discrimination, chauvinism, and personal aggrandizement that are invariably
found on the country’s socio-political and economic platform.
To this end, as the present administration ably led by President
Mohammadu Buhari is ostensibly willing and determined to sweep out corruption,
which remains the fundamental bane to unity and societal development, we are
cordially expected to rally round the administration with the spirit of
solidarity rather than the reverse, with a view to making Nigeria become a
country to reckon with in the nearest future.
We can contribute our respective quotas by regularly and relentlessly
preaching unity in every field of human endeavour we find ourselves, most
especially in the schools, markets, worship centres, motor parks, and our
immediate communities. More so, parents and guardians ought to sensitize their
wards, right from their childhood, on the fact that no one can thrive
successfully if he/she chose to stand alone since it is obvious that ‘a tree
can never make a forest’.
So, as Nigeria joins the global community to commemorate the annual
International Human Solidarity Day, I call on everyone who thinks good of the
country to borrow a leaf from the country’s fallen nationalists and heroes to
include Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, and Chief
Tafawa Belewa, just to mention but a few, who believed in the inevitable role
of human solidarity in nation building. This is arguably the only way we can
actualize undiluted unity among ourselves, which remains the gateway to the
long awaited change. Think about it!
Comrade FDN Nwaozor
Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri
___________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Twitter: @mediambassador
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