Adil Najam
My posts over the last few days have all been designed to build up to this (here, here and here).
Irrespective of whether Abdul Sattar Edhi is a Pakistani or not, irrespective of how much most Pakistanis hold his selfless zeal in reverence – and irrespective also of all the ways in which a few have tried to malign him – I believe that Abdul Sattar Edhi deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. I need your help in putting together a nominations package.
I do not wish to make this a nationalistic thing. He would not like that. For me it is a humanistic thing. As he has made clear again and again, humanism and humanitarianism is more important than everything else; certainly it is bigger than nationalism.
Here is a man who has dedicated his whole life to serving the most marginalized and the most wretched in society. The destitutes, the mentally ill, corpses left by the roadside, children abandoned at his doorsteps, women kicked out by their families. When there is no one to go to, there is always Edhi Sahib to go to.
As importantly, he has done this – in his words – ‘wholesale’. He has single handedly built – literally by begging – a social services structure at a national scale. Bigger than what governments have. He has never taken a ruppee as salary himself. He lives in a two room apartment that most middle class Pakistanis would not call home and he oversees the largest ambulance network in the world, now with airplanes and helicopters, a multi-million dollar enterprise of relief, of goodwill, and of humanitarianism. If he does not deserve the Nobel Award, I do not know who does.
As I had mentioned in the last post, the Edhi Foundation is collecting signatures on a petition that he be given the Nobel Award. I like other bloggers (here, here, and here) would urge you to sign that petition and join the thousands others who already have.
But I think we can do a little more. Here is how.
I checked out the website of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee and looked at their nominations procedure. It is not clear whether they accept petitions or not, but it turns out that they do have categories of individuals who can make nominations (which are due by February 1). One of those categories is “university professors of social science, history, philosophy, law and theology.” I am not sure if I have much standing with them, but I fit into that category, and therefore I believe I have the ability to formally send in a nomination, and I plan to write in a nomination letter over the next few days.
What I would like to do, then, is to ask you all to write your own testimonials to why Abdul Sattar Edhi deserves a Nobel Award in the comments section. We want to gather as many testimonials/comments as possible.
Personal stories and examples of how he touches people’s lives and meets the ideals of the Nobel Peace Prize are especially useful.
So let me please request you for your help. If you agree with me that Abdul Sattar Edhi deserves a Nobel Peace Prize:
- Please leave a testimonial in the comments section saying that he deserved the award why you believe that Abdul Sattar Edhi deserves a Nobel Peace Prize.
- Please email this post to your friends and ask them to do the same.
- If you are a blogger, please spread the word on your blogs and to your readers and ask those who agree with my proposition to leave a testimonial.
And to meet the deadline we need to do all of this in the next few days. I have no pretensions that a letter from one professor will do the trick. But since I have this ability, I want to at least give it a shot. At least we would be able to say, we tried.
What do you say, folks?
I say Aye!
If the world can appreciate and acknowledge Mother Teresa’s selfless work, surely the world can recognize Dr. Edhi.
We should call him Dr. Edhi to make it the name in mainstream use.
Secondly, name one humanitarian foundation on the scale of Edhi Foundation (not including red crescent/cross, etc) run by a single man and with such efficiency and selflessness resulting in him being loved by all Pakistanis. You won’t find anyone else and so he deserves the award.
Let us make him a positive symbol for Pakistan.
Digg this:
http://digg.com/health/Nominate_Edhi_for_Nobel_Peace_Prize_2007
By the way, one other thing the Nobel Committee will get in selecting Edhi is a role model for the world that is unlike all others. A truly progressive Muslim, a maulana, a humanist and a humanitarian. In a world full on conflict we need role models who are healers. I hope they select Edhi.
I hope many will join us in puutting their thoughts on Edhi here.
I agree: :If he does not deserve the Nobel Award, I do not know who does.”
I also agree thsi is not just because he is a Pakistani but his contrinbution is universal. Here s a person with nearrly no education, very little money, but a great humanitarian vision. And he makes things happen working in teh most difficult and dangerous of places. Just becasue of his sheer passion.
Here is a yardstick that I hope the Nobel COmmittee will think of. Go to Pakistan and ask anyone, anyone, who they will really really trust. I bet you the on name they will hear is Abdul Sattar Edhi. It is unfrotunate that his work is not well known in other parts of the world but I cannot think of anyone else anywhere who has the type of respect and trust for his selflessness that Edhi has.
My vote is also for Edhi to get the Nobel peace prize. This person has served the humanity without any prejudice. He runs the largest network of ambulances in Pakistan (largest in world too?) and fills up the gap where state cannot provide this help. I remember reading Guinness Book few years ago where his ambulance network held the record of largest in the world.
Most of the Nobel Prizes have been conferred on those who have done remarkable work and innovation in their area of expertise and Edhi is undoubtedly one of them.
His achievements are remarkably acknowledged not only by the people in Pakistan but also at regional and global level. What distinguishes him from the other individuals and organizations in the field of social work and social services is the innovation of new model which includes passion, dedication, commitment and stern belief to bring changes in the livelihoods of poor, oppressed, helpless and hopeless.
He was so compassionate with the sufferings of poor that he dedicated his life to provide them shelter and comfort. He had stern belief that that his restless efforts and true commitment will contribute to lessen the sufferings of our oppressed and distressed section of society.
His cause was imbued with high spirits and goals and he worked restlessly to achieve those objectives. His fundraising strategy was not based on grant proposals and project proposal submitted to donors, while his fund raising was based on needs basis and he was never shy to seek help from people on the road.Whatever he raised, he spent it to bring change in the lives of poor which government, politicians and even civil society could not do it for so long time.
He generated funds and spent them honestly to expanded the welfare work at national level. His interventions like Ambulance fleet, Edhi homes, Edhi villages, Disaster and Mitigation made a great difference for the welfare of poor people at large scale level.
He proved that he can transform brick into marble with commitment and dedication.