How crises can lead to compassion
Originally Palestinian, born and raised in the UAE Though UAE residents have a high degree of compassion, they are also unaware of the scale of current global humanitarian crises, survey finds
“I consider the UAE my home. I have friends who are originally from Palestine, born in the UAE and are currently living here, but can’t go back to their country. “The year 2016 has been tough for all displaced people, there have been many [people] displaced from Syria and Palestine and the numbers keep increasing. I hope that one day the world will manage to find peace so that people can go back to their homes and rebuild their cities and make their countries great like they once were.
Even as people in the UAE display a high degree of compassion, they are still not fully aware of the true scale of today’s humanitarian crisis, the most serious since the Second World War, the NRS International survey said. As a melting pot of cultures and nationalities, the UAE residents have a constant flow of knowledge and action.
“This country raises the profile of international events, because it honours the struggles or events from all around the world,” said Dr Tara Wyne, clinical psychologist and clinical director at The Lighthouse Arabia in Dubai.
She pointed out that in one UAE school alone, there are possibly more than 50 nationalities, which leads to a raised level of awareness about important global events through the little “microcosms of society”.
Discussing compassion in a world that is becoming more violent, Wyne explained that people are impacted by violence around them, even though they are not directly involved.
“Being in an atmosphere of divisiveness and hatred can leave us feeling fearful, and when we are vulnerable, we can become more focused on ourselves, our life, our safety and retreat into a bubble,” she said
“The antidote to anger and aggression and violence is compassion. Firstly, we must work on not shutting down ‘Humanitarianism in the UAE,’ survey by NRS International our awareness and empathy for others’ troubles. We must acknowledge how the news of violence and senseless death and destruction affects us. We have to tune into our own responses,” advised Wyne.
“When we pay closer attention, we are more likely to act in ways that are compassionate and support people and lives affected by violence.”