In line with the United Nations declaration of 18 July 2012 as Nelson Mandela International Day, the Rotary Clubs of Bahrain, namely Manama, Salmaniya and Adliya, in cooperation with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) commemorated Nelson Mandela International Day by launching a charity campaign to donate food boxes to needy families during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
The event was attended by Sameera Bint Ebrahim Rajab, Minister of State for Information, Robert Timmers, President of the Rotary Club Manama, Khalid Al Turk, President of the Rotary Club Salmaniya, Ms Sajida Tannara, President of the Rotary Club Adliya, Nejib Friji, Director of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) as well as several Rotarians and guests.
The three Rotary Clubs of Bahrain, with a current membership of 160 men and women from all segments of Bahraini society, was founded in 1965 with the purpose of raising funds and giving support to community projects in the kingdom and abroad. With the motto “Service above Self”, the Rotary Clubs are a part of a world-wide service club organisation with over 1.2 million members.
“We Rotarians are joining the UN in this very important day, the Nelson Mandela International Day, to mark our commitment to the UN principles and objectives to which the spirit of Nelson Mandela adheres to. In cooperation with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) on behalf of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in the Kingdom of Bahrain, we decided to engage 67 minutes of our time to serve our compatriots in need during the Holy month of Ramadan by providing 650 families with food supplies. This is, in our eyes are Rotarians, one the most appropriate ways to the joint UN-Mandela call in working together to make the world a better place,” Khalid Al Turk, said.
Samira Rajab expressed her sincere thanks and appreciation to the United Nations Information Centre and the Rotary Clubs for organizing this major event held in appreciation of the key role played by Mr Nelson Mandela during the last decades and at present in the struggle for freedom and protection of human rights.
“Words cannot reflect the efforts and the significant sacrifices made by Nelson Mandela throughout his life in pursuit of equality, combating poverty and racial discrimination. Mandela adopted peaceful means armed only with clear thinking and persistent calls for reconciliation and peace,” the Minister said.
UNIC Director Nejib Friji commended Samira Rajab for extending her valuable patronage of the event adding that it is in line with her spirit and that of Bahrain leadership and people. Friji said that it is also a good omen that this historic leader’s birthday this year coincided with the holy month of Ramadan, the month of solidarity, assistance, help and self denial. He thanked the Rotarians for their support quoting what Eizehower said at the inception of the UN “Rotary is the greatest power for peace next to the UN.”
This was followed by a screening of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for Nelson Mandela Day where the Secretary-General stated “Today, I join the Nelson Mandela Foundation in urging each and every one of us to perform 67 minutes of public service on Nelson Mandela International Day, one minute for each year of Madiba’s own remarkable service to humanity.”
Robert Timmers, President of the Rotary Club Manama said that what Nelson Mandela International Day is all about, is about Rotary as well because the mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. He stated that “the Ramadan food boxes programme is part of Rotary’s community service and we are pleased to be able to donate more than 1300 food boxes to the needy families across Bahrain. Theses boxes will reach local Bahraini families, whether they are Sunni or Shia, but also to families which are non Bahrainis. This is our pledge for the Nelson Mandela Day. We are giving now but we pledge to give again next year and the years to come!