A wall of expression was put at the entry of the room where the event took place so that children could draw, share their thoughts and express their solidarity and love for the children in Syria.
Source/Credit: MENA Post
By MENA Post | April 7, 2014
Courtesy: Mahrukh Arif
On saturday 5th april 2014, the Ahmadi Muslim Women organized a donation event in partnership with UNICEF to help the children in Syria.
The event took place in Drancy – a city in the suburb of Paris – where the women sell several dishes of every origin, clothes, jewelry at cheap prizes. A special stand was held by children who baked cakes themselves in order to participate and stand for the children in Syria. Some young women also chose to volunteer for putting henna at cheap prizes which happened to be a huge success.
A wall of expression was put at the entry of the room where the event took place so that children could draw, share their thoughts and express their solidarity and love for the children in Syria.
Many guests came and appreciated the noble gesture made by the women of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association.
Monique Lecince, incharge of the UNICEF for the Seine-Saint Denis department had literally tears in her eyes when she came across the drawing of a little Ahmadi girl who had written « Un sourire, un rêve » that is to say « A smile, A dream ». She was really happy by the initiative, the motivation the women of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association France kept showing all throughout the event.
Most of all, guests appreciated the effort women have made for mankind and the step they had taken for the promotion of key values such as humanity, peace, tolerance, understanding and the love for all and hatred for none.
Donation for Syria – An interview with Mahrukh Arif
How did this project came into your mind ? And what does it consists it ?
This project was born thanks to the site Cultures & Croyances founded by Asif Arif. Cultures & Croyances is a website that promotes education, interfaith dialogue intersocial while respecting secularism. It aims at being a tool for tolerance and listening to different religions to understand them and work towards the betterment of their rights. In short, Cultures & Croyances promotes key values such as tolerance, togetherness and respect of every individual's human rights.
It is because these values are similar to those the UNICEF - institution attached to the UN – embodies that it became partner of the website (Cultures & Croyances). UNICEF is an independent, non governmental organization that works for the protection of children's rights around the world. When the Director of Cultures & Croyances met Ann April working for UNICEF, she told him how little contribution in terms of donations there was for the children in Syria. It was then that I thought it would be interesting to combine a struggle for human rights with a united and tolerant view of religions.
As an Ahmadi Muslim woman , I thought it would be interesting to conciliate these values and work with the UNICEF to organize a donation for the children in Syria. The event will take place this Saturday, April 5th, women of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will be selling dishes from different parts of the world (French, Asian, African, Arab), clothes and jewellery at discounted prices. A special stand will be manned by children.
Who will be collecting the funds of this donation ?
During the initial discussions, the idea was to distribute 50% of donations to UNICEF and the remaining 50% to a another charity of Drancy – city that has provided us with a room for the event. But the generosity of the Mayor, Jean-Christophe Lagarde who wanted to do more for the deteriorated situation of the children in Syria, with one of his councilors, Farid Amari decided that all donations funds should be given to the UNICEF. This is a major step forward for both tolerance and the rights of children. For this, we must thank several people among them the team incharge of the public relations in Drancy, especially Karima Maati and all the various officials of the City Council who are always attentive to our needs. In addition, we also thank Monique Lecince who has been really supportive.
Why did the women of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community chose to organize this event ?
Although this cause aims at protecting the rights of the children in Syria, women are also the most affected by the Syrian conflict. Recently, an articled published in Le Monde related the disastrous situation of women in Syria victims of rape and disgrace in front of their husband or father. Given these atrocities why wouldn't one want to stand for this cause ?
Moreover, it is a known fact that events affecting women necessarily have an impact on children. It is to assure a better and secure future for the children in Syria that the women of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community have chosen to organize this donation.
Personally, being responsible of the Student section of the women in the AMAF, I think this kind of political event deprives children of an essential thing that is called education. A child does not deserve to be deprived of this right because of purely political decisions he isn't old enough to understand. Despite the conflict , they must have access to education , school books and they must be able to live a life which, in their eyes, must seem normal. It is not correct and I would say unfair that at this young age they are already subject to political manipulation.
Futhermore, Ahmadi muslim women have taken have also taken the initiative in consideration of the persecution faced by Ahmadis in the world. This religious minority, considered heretical and non muslim is severely persecuted in South Asia. Women Muslim Association of Ahmadiyya of France therefore took the initiative since they live this pain continuously and are thus able to understand it. The idea is also to answer, as the leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad to hatred with peace.
Why did you choose to organize this event in Drancy ?
Drancy is the most symbolic city of the Seine-Saint Denis insofar as it was one of the city where deportation of Jews during the Second World War took place. Organizing the event in Drancy was a way for us to claim the victory of love over hatred which is to be found in the beautiful motto of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community : "Love for All, Hatred for None."
-- France: Women of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association unites with UNICEF for the children in Syria
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