Hopes for the Future
by Horst CerniA UNICEF poster featured an African child and the question: “What would you like to be” and her answer: “To Be Alive”.
Thinking of the future this is certainly the most basic wish any of us could have. I have five grandchildren ranging from 11 to 22 years old. Their future looks promising, since they have access to basic health care, including all vaccinations, good schooling and opportunities to achieve greatness.
Three of the grandchildren, living in New York, have a Philippine mother and they would like to meet her family and their ten cousins. They worry about them. Right now, outside Manila, where they live, only 30% are vaccinated against COVID-19. They also can’t go to school and have to “attend” classes virtually - via Zoom. It’s not good, but at least they’ll get an education. In the remote areas children do not have access to the internet and can only study with books. My grandchildren - and my son and their mother - hope that there is some way they could help. UNICEF has a good presence in the Philippines and hopefully they’ll get more funding and access all over the country to improve the situation of children substantially in the next 25 years. Will my grandchildren contribute to such improvements? I am convinced they will.
Our daughter is a kindergarten teacher and is able to teach the young children basic reading and math skills and especially to respect each other. As a former student of the UN International School and being exposed to daily talking about UN matters, she has become a “World Changer”, as her T shirt said. Her daughter and son were similarly exposed. Both are studying at universities in the US (and previously also Madrid), and have clear opinions of what is right and wrong in politics and international affairs. In addition, they know first hand the difficulties a single mother has to face, since their father left and didn’t support the family. They are very vocal about a man’s responsibilities, especially towards children they have fathered.
My grandson, now 22 years old, wants to work for international relations and hopefully get a job at the UN. He feels that young people need to learn more about the situation in other countries, and especially the need to provide basic affordable health care and education to the most disadvantaged mothers and children. He is frustrated by the fact that the bigger nations have veto power in the UN Security Council and he very much hopes that this can be changed. International law needs to be strengthened and enforced, including the commitments made at COP26. “The Convention of the Rights of the Child needs to get more attention. Presently women and children are often overlooked, since supposedly ‘more urgent matters’ have to be addressed.”
Similarly more attention needs to be given to the study of the horrors of war. “It’s unfortunate that the winners of a conflict focus on their accomplishments and not on the suffering of the civilian population. More efforts need to be made to learn about each other's differences, rather than using religious and other ideologies to spread hatred.”
“The effects of Violence and global warming causing mass migration and refugee problems need to be addressed more vigorously and not just considering one’s own benefit or losses.” Having read his grandfather’s account of his horrendous escape from the advancing Russian army at the end of WW II and the difficult refugee years afterwards, he fully sympathizes with the hardships migrants and refugees face, and he hopes a solution to this crisis can soon be found.
Since everyone loves sports, which brings people together, he feels that sport events could provide an excellent way to promote the CRC and to highlight the needs of children. “Instead of showing only commercials during a football match, the big sponsors should make space for UNICEF’s messages. In addition, the cessation of fighting, like the Olympic Truce, should be attempted during all big events, like the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.”
My grandson hopes he will be able to contribute to a better understanding among people and a greater humanity to help those in need.
Every generation had to face challenges and I trust that my grandchildren are ready for those awaiting them. Yes, these are complicated times and the future might look bleak, but I believe that being an optimist and looking for solutions will bring positive results. I was strongly influenced by the writings and preaching of the Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale who said a goal can be reached easier with the power of positive thinking: “It can change people. It can change the world.”
We cannot predict what emergencies UNICEF will be faced with in the next 25 years, but I am encouraged by the use of new technologies like the Learning Passport and UNICEF working with partners like Microsoft. UNICEF has proven that it can deal with any situation effectively and make a big difference in the lives of future generations.
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