In conversation Ibrahim and Fiona.
We wonder how you would you answer the following question; “If you could wish one thing for all of humanity what would it be?”. This year the World Health Organisation’s answer is ‘Universal Health Converge for all people’.
We had a conversation about the worth and value of human beings, and as chaplains the place we started was our respective scriptures.
The Christian scriptures teach, all humans are created in the image of God and are special and of equal worth, irrespective of wealth or poverty, powerful or powerless, young or old. No one’s value can be measured simply by how successful or how productive they are. Each person will always be precious and does not need to prove success, although often this escapes society’s expectations or demands.
And St Paul reminds us that, ‘If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.’ We should all be engaged in building up everyone else’s human life and dignity.
The Muslim scriptures teach that God has given nobility and honour to the children of Adam. Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that all of humanity is like one single body. So just as our entire body becomes restless when one part hurts, likewise all of us should feel the pain of a suffering fellow human being.
Most of us working here in Canary Wharf have private healthcare provision from our companies. However, in the developing world, countless people have no such provision and can not afford even basic primary healthcare. On this day let us spare a thought for such people and look for ways to help humanitarian and charitable organisations working around the world in providing life saving healthcare as a basic human right.
Making the most of World Health Day 7 April 2019
