October 18, 2006

Oh pec!

Humana People to People receive the first OPEC Fund Award for Development.

T
hey were chosen "in recognition of the vital and valuable work it is engaged in across southern Africa," in countries like Angola, Mozambique and Zambia. Humana and Opec have been in partnership since 2001.

One seldom sees pictures like this. Saudi Eminences giving out prizes to Scandinavian women who work for Africa. Maybe the world is changing for the better after all...

H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance of Saudi Arabia (left), Mr. Suleiman J. Al-Herbish, Director General of The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) (middle) and Ms. Maria Darsbo, Chairperson of Humana People to People (right).



10 comments:

Destitute Rebel said...

Good post Shaira, the world is slowly changing thats for sure. Maybe in our lifetime we'll see more postivie changes.

archer14 said...

Please please please for the love of god, if the Saudi 'emminence' does something at this juncture its not because they've decided to turn into saints overnight.
Uncle Sam is shying away from petroleum imports, and oil prices are dipping. OPEC is in a huge quandary and they have to find a way of crawling out of that greedy hole they've been digging for years.

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

arch sahib, welcome jee from your long vacation.

Yaar, who said anything about saints? Let us be positive. It is at the end of the day regardless of motive a positive thing for Humana People to People. And they have been conducting work there for many years not just recently.

Anonymous said...

Good point, you have to look at progress if you want to duplicate it...that's how change happens.

It might help if these pictures made their way into American media so images of Middle Easterners weren't only as terrorists...but that would be asking too much from the allegedly "liberal media."

archer14 said...

Theres nothing wrong in being positive. But we should be positive about the right thing.

Its just that I find it very depressing that they've decided to change after such a long time. Change is always good, correct me if Im wrong - the word 'change' and Saudi Arabia don't ever feature in the same line.

sheilaX said...

Shalom,

Ramadan Kareem.

sheila

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

I know how you feel arch. It took 400 years to abolish slavery in the states, and even though it was a day too long and even though in many ways slavery still exists on an intellectual level, it is still a change. Something to feel positive about even if not wholeheartedly.

We have to have hope in humanity...if not then there is not much left is there.

Sheila, good to see you :) Thank You. Hope you had a blessed Yom Kippur.

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

Wil, absolutely. I believe change lies in the power of images. That is how we will change minds, how we will inspire new thought.

Today's world is a very "instant satisfaction" or "instant reaction" kind of place. No one sits and reads lengthy dissertations on why or how. They need one picture that portrays or conveys a powerful message and makes them think. There the first step to change starts.

EXSENO said...

We certaily need something in this world to change or I fear we are doomed.
I agree it is a 'positive thing for Humana People to People'.
No matter the reason. Small steps can turn into bigger steps that can eventually make a difference.

If each country would just take one small step of kindness forward. Let's pray that they will.

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

Absolutely exseno. Every step counts :) Hope you are well.