Daily Times

On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, being observed on Friday, November 29, two Pakistani children have dedicated their recently bestowed awards to the children of Gaza, the victims of unprecedented violence in the world history so far.

Ten-and-a half years old Ubaydah al-Fiddhah Hafiah, and her 12-year-old brother Ghulam Bishar Hafi, were honoured by the UN-KAKHTAH Postdoctoral DRR Multiversity, over their symbolic move of writing protest notes, along with an open letter, with their own blood, to the world authorities and various UN bodies to highlight the plight of children in Gaza, Congo, Mozambique, Myanmar, Syria and other parts of the world.

The announcement was made in a press release, issued by the children through Prof Dr Aurangzeb Hafi, their father as well as inspiration, and the senior PI for postdoctoral research in Asia and Oceania, on the eve of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

As far as the history of the day is concerned, the UN General Assembly had called for the annual observance of November 29 as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (Resolution 32/40 B), in 1977.

In Resolution 60/37 of Dec 1, 2005, the UNGA requested the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights, as part of the observance of the day on Nov 29, to continue to organise an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights or a cultural event in cooperation with the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the UN.

This year (2024), an exhibition titled “Gaza, Palestine: A Crisis of Our Humanity”, is being organised at the Visitors’ Lobby of the General Assembly building from Nov 26, 2024 to Jan 5, 2025.

Like in other parts of the world, event are being held at the state and individual level in Pakistan to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, and provide them with moral support in the face of the unprecedented inhuman brutalities carried out through the ongoing ruthless military operations thereupon.

In this connection, the two Pakistani children started writing their protest notes in their own blood, along with an open letter to prick and stir the world conscience on the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, observed on June 4, 2024.

The small children’s campaign consisted of sequels. Their blood-written notes include: “Cultivate peace for the children – Reap peace of the world”; “Let’s raise voice for the voiceless – the innocent children caught in the crossfire of war and aggression, like those horror-struck in Gaza, Congo, Mozambique, Myanmar, Syria and elsewhere”; “Humanitarian eyes needed to see the humanitarian crisis in Gaza”; “Break now, the criminal silence and shamelessness upon the ongoing infanticide in Gaza” and “Shredded bodies of innocent children in cradles beg for peace”.

On the World Children’s Day 2024, observed across the globe on Nov 20, the UN-KAKHTAH Postdoctoral DRR Multiversity, announced award for the brother and sister for consistently raising voice for the horror-struck children in Gaza, Congo, Mozambique, Myanmar, Syria and elsewhere in the world.

They were honoured with UN’s ‘Grace do Monaco’ international medal and the ‘Eglantyne Jebb Platinum Pen for Peace’.

The UN-KAKHTA panel also offered scholarships to both children to study for two years in any country of their choice. The panel allocated $10,000 funds for their educational expenses if they opt for any other country to study there for two years. The two protesting kids drew their motivation and inspiration from their parents, Dr. Bareera N.B., and Prof. Dr. Aurangzeb Hafi. Prof A.Z. Hafi has long served as senior Asian Principal Investigator for postdoctoral studies. Prof. Hafi, who was declared the third son by the world renowned humanitarian Ms. Bilquis Edhi, also contested as her principal ally and subsequently was the co-recipient in the ‘Top of the Top-10 Bidecadal Impact Gazette’ award, representing Pakistan among 195 countries in 2020.