Guterres called for world ‘unity in peace’ as Ramadan, Easter, Passover coincide
Secretary General António Guterres raised his plea for peace by admitting that it was “severe deprivation” in many parts of the worldduring an interview with UN News’s Arabic service, ahead of what has now become an annual visit for him, to the troubled Muslim nation, during the holy month of Ramadan.
“I think so This is the time for all of us to be united for peace. Peace is the most precious thing we can have in the world”, said Mr. Guterres.
Precious peace
“So, this is the time to come together and give those who believe in God (in) different ways, with different words, to join their voices in a common prayer for peace.”
The UN chief began his tradition of paying solidarity during Ramadan, while he was the High Commissioner for Refugees, running the refugee agency UNHCR – a job he did for ten years, before taking up the UN high job in 2017.
“Them Most of the refugees are Muslimsand many communities that host refugees with great generosity and solidarity, are Muslim”, he told UN News’s Reem Abaza, noting that the Refugee Convention of 1951 on the protection of refugees, fully complies with the spiritual values of Al – The Holy Qur’an.
Ruqia Mohamud, a mother of eight, sits in the tent she shares with her children at a refugee camp in Galkakasi, Somalia.
Fasting in unison
He said his annual visit to refugee camps or settlements as head of the UNHCR, where he is jointly employed, also provides an opportunity to show the generosity of the host communities.
“When I became Secretary General, I thought that this tradition should be preserved – now, not focusing on refugee communities, but focused on the persecuted Muslim communities“, he said.
Somalia bound
Next week, he heads to Somalia, which is still teetering on the brink of full-scale famine, according to UN humanitarians, with nearly half the population – some 8.25 million – in need of rescue assistance or protection.
About 1.8 million children are severely malnourished, and eight million people lack access to adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
The increased rainfall has seen both prolonged droughts and devastating floods – the result of accelerating climate change, at a time when extremist militants from Al Shabab continue to wage a campaign of deadly terrorism, Mr Guterres noted.
Islam’s true face
Asked what insight joining Muslims fasting in Ramadan has given him over the years, the UN chief said it showed him, “the true face of Islam.”
“Them sense of peace, sense of solidarity, sense of generosity that I witnessed in the areas where the refugees were received, and with the endurance, the courage of the refugees themselves was very inspiring. We had it is a very important inspiration of everything I do todayas the Secretary-General of the United Nations.”
