Medics united in hopes for peace
MESSAGES of peace resonated through St Kilda Town Hall for Magen David Adom’s (MDA) appeal dinner in Melbourne this week as inspirational speakers, Mohammed Al-Hadid, of the Jordan National Red Crescent Society (JNRCS), and MDA’s Uri Shacham, shared their experiences providing humanitarian aid.
MESSAGES of peace resonated through St Kilda Town Hall for Magen David Adom’s (MDA) appeal dinner in Melbourne this week as inspirational speakers, Mohammed Al-Hadid, of the Jordan National Red Crescent Society (JNRCS), and MDA’s Uri Shacham, shared their experiences providing humanitarian aid.
Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus welcomed the crowd of 300 people and local MP David Southwick read a message of support from Premier Denis Napthine, while Israeli ambassador Shmuel Ben-Shmuel thanked attendees for their commitment to the cause.
JNRCS president Al-Hadid, who is credited with paving the way for MDA and the Palestinian Red Cross Society to become full members of the International Conference of the Red Cross, shared his dreams for harmony in the region.
“The ongoing conflict between the Arabs and Israelis is one of the greatest tragedies of our time. There has been so much pain on both sides, too many rationalisations and hardening of the heart,” Al-Hadid said.
He said after centuries of tolerance and understanding, it is saddening that “in the Middle East, we have generations who have never known peace.”
At the end of his address, the audience gave a standing ovation as he encouraged hope for the future.
“The birthplace of Judaism, Christianity and Islam could have peace, if we could only take the aggravation, craziness, stubbornness, revenge and retaliation and replace it with logic, sanity and commitment to understand each other”.
Currently head of the MDA Director General’s Bureau and director of Red Cross Movement Relations and Coordination, Shacham shared anecdotes from his recent role in Operation Protective Edge and the value MDA places on human life.
“You may ask us what the future holds, I think that recent events in Gaza and the changes in the Middle East give us an opening, an opportunity to make this piece of land a better place to live.”
President of Australian Red Cross Society Michael Legge spoke about the history of the Red Cross in Australia and the achievements of the organisation.
Shacham and Al-Hadid were also set to address an MDA NSW function at the University of New South Wales in Sydney this evening (Thursday).
Co-president of MDA Glynis Lipson told The AJN that she is grateful for the ongoing support from the Melbourne and Sydney communities. “The MDA dinner brought together people from different cultures to promote peace and harmony. We are thankful to Dr Al-Hadid and Uri Shacham for sharing their views on working with MDA Israel,” Lipson said.
ZOE KRON
Uri Shacham, Chris Lamb, of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Mohammed Al-Hadid. Photo: Stephen Reynolds
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