MANDELA: FIVE SENSES OF CITIZENSHIP

A story on active citizenship will never be complete without words on Mandela and his strides as he lived his life here on earth. He is an example to us of what ought to be, how we ought to interact with our environment and how to live and not merely exist. His type of citizenship permeates all five human senses. We will discuss Mandela in Five senses in two series. We hope you find the first interesting.

SIGHT.

Mandela not merely walked with his eyes open but walked with all senses alert while he saw and observed his immediate environment. The goal for every individual in any given environment should as a matter of necessity include paying attention to detail, to see what everyone may or may not see or to see what everyone sees and look beyond what everyone sees with the aim of seeing what everyone cannot see.

This becomes important in the journey towards a sustainable world. That citizens all over the world engage in a fierce fight of living and not just existing. The ability to achieve this lies majorly in our ability to observe situations in our environment  and taking steps to fix same while channeling our talents and abilities.

Mandela was a citizen of South Africa with a vision of a better world. He saw each day as an opportunity to push his world closer to the position that it ought to be.  The importance of vision cannot be underestimated in any human endeavor, thus, our interaction with our environment must be with vision and not mere activities without proper structure or definite goals targeted at ensuring a better and sustainable world.

He saw the white domination, glaring inequalities just as seen by many, but his sight of these was with a difference; he observed with keen interest to identify root causes, areas of intervention and befitting strategies

Our failure to observe will throw the world into darkness, the one that already exists in some facet s of life though our encounters with it are unequal. Darkness that might plague our goals of sustainability; our ability to leave a better world for our children and generations to come.

TOUCH

The story of the lives touched by Mandela will never be forgotten. He touched an entire nation with his bravery and resolve for a better world against all odds. He touched the sacred cows and touched the then vulnerable. He felt pain for himself and on behalf of others and decided that something could be done. He was tapped by life situations and he answered with fierce determination to change the narratives and change the realities of what may be felt for generations to come. He touched the future through his reaction to his realities.

SMELL

Perception plays a key role in our reaction to situations. It is possible for many to identify a problem but our perception of the problem may differ. For Mandela, the black-white binary made no sense and he worked on his perception. He perceived the chaos it portends, the inequality that would unsettle our world, the resistance that may create more problems if not addressed with immediate effect and he worked out his reaction based on calculated strategies.

 

What’s your vision for a better world and what are you doing about it? Think about these before you read our next post and our tips on becoming an active citizen.

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WHAT ABOUT CHILD REFUGEES?

Children, in my opinion add the most beautiful colors to our lives. Imagine a world without children? Horrid! And imagine a world with children but with glaring inequalities which we sometimes foster through our actions? Similarly horrid!

The global discussions around refugees are becoming even more profound especially in the wake of the role of the media in bringing quick information to our doorsteps.

Love motivates our actions generally in life whether for good or in the extreme sense of it which sometimes does not augur well.

The heroes who once fought our battles and swept sand off the stones where our global destinies were etched were motivated by love, for people, for the environment, and most of all for their countries which ultimately had a resonating impact on our world 🌍.

Human beings are thinking beings the result of which is the need for motivation to take certain actions . Love should be the underlying factor, after which we can begin to take cognizance of physical factors among others.

What is your reaction when you hear of a conflict or disaster in a part of the world or a state of your country? What are your thoughts about the people who have had to flee their homes as a result of the crisis? 

Refugees are forced to flee their homes, comfort and are forced to accept a new place as their home, the question of acceptance perhaps is one of the most difficult in the history of refugees across the globe.

Refugees are commonly rejected in places they seek refuge; an action which consistently reminds them of the horrifying occurrences that forced them out of their homes in the first place. 

The world has just recently celebrated the World Refugees Day and the question of what we all are doing to make them feel warm in the course of the cold side life has shown them and what we are doing to prevent these crisis that force people to flee their homes must be answered if we are truly looking to achieve the global goals by the year 2030.

How much love do you have in your heart for child refugees who have been exposed to brutalities and need both mental and physical reintegration and rehabilitation?

Do you think of the effects of crisis on children who have been separated from their parents? Or forced to flee the familiar environment that shaped their childhood and formed the essence of their living? Do you consider the effects of crisis on their growth stages and how it alters them? How some may become depraved as a result and some too afraid to take on life and the challenges that come with it? The dreams that die and the potentials that suffer in the face of our indifference about the situation?.

We are particularly concerned about children because of their vulnerability and the resonating global impact that neglect of children in this situation can have on us all. A child whose childhood is altered by horrifying situations and left unattended in the face of it in terms of social rehabilitation may one day be the cause of yet another crisis that will leave many more children, adults and nations homeless and unsettled. We all must Stand With Refugees if we must build a world wherein we can thrive.

What motivates you when you hear of their stories, love or indifference? I hope the former is your answer.

Commit to guaranteeing a better life for refugees, join millions of well meaning people across the globe to sign the #withrefugees petition by the UN Refugee Agency which is a call on world leaders to fine bold, humane and innovative solutions for refugees here.

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Facebook: The Nineteen Initiative
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THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.