U početku je Međunarodni dan ljudske solidarnosti osmišljen kao koncept solidarnosti koji ima za cilj borbu protiv siromaštva. Trenutno organizacija također promiče mir, ljudska prava, ekonomski i društveni razvoj.

Solidarnost je važna vrednota za cijelo društvo. Promiče ideju jedinstva u raznolikosti i prepoznaje skup zajedničkih, univerzalnih vrednota koje nas opisuju kao ljude s dostojanstvom. Za postizanje ovog cilja trebamo postići konsenzus o temeljnim vrijednostima, raditi na proširenju načela mira, jednakosti, dobrobiti i uzajamnog priznanja.

Iznimno je važno naći zajednički jezik i podržati jedni druge, posebno u doba COVID-19. Godina 2020. je pokazala niz situacija, u kojima se moglo vidjeti iskazuje li se solidarnost prema onima kojima je potrebna, ili ne.

Imali smo jedan slučaj u Europi na početku pandemije. Italija je postavljala pitanja gdje je bila europska solidarnost kad im je najviše trebala. Kada je početkom 2020. godine u Italiji došlo do izbijanja pandemije COVID-19, ljudi u Italiji su svakodnevno umirali u velikom broju. U zemlji je nedostajalo medicinskih potrepština poput maski, respiratora itd. Kad je Italija zatražila medicinske potrepštine u okviru posebnog europskog kriznog mehanizma, nijedna zemlja EU nije odgovorila na poziv za pomoć. Njemačka se bojala smanjivanja zaliha za svoje građane, te je već na početku pandemije zabranila izvoz medicinskih maski i druge zaštitne opreme. Zemlja koja je pomogla Italiji u tako teškoj situaciji je bila Kina. Kineski avion je donio 31 tonu zaliha, uključujući respiratore. Pomoć je stigla u Italiju i iz Rusije i sa Kube.

Kasnije, u travnju, predsjednica Europske komisije Ursula von der Leyen se ispričala što EU nije pomogla Italiji na početku ove smrtonosne epidemije koronavirusa. “Istina je da nitko zapravo nije bio spreman za ovo. Istina je i da mnogi nisu došli na vrijeme kad je na samom početku Italija trebala ruku pomoći”, izjavila je ona. Mnogi Talijani su kritizirali odgovor EU na pandemiju, zamjeravajući da EU nije učinila dovoljno da pomogne Italiji.

Kasnije se situacija promijenila. Njemačka, Poljska i Rumunjska su poslale timove liječnika koji pomažu u liječenju pacijenata u bolnicama u sjevernoj i južnoj Italiji. Austrija, Belgija, Njemačka i Luksemburg su stavili svoje jedinice za intenzivno liječenje na raspolaganje nizozemskim, francuskim i talijanskim pacijentima koji su bili u kritičnom stanju. Ima i mnogo drugih primjera.

Novi izazovi se pojavljuju u vezi s cjepivom protiv koronavirusa. Prema Duke Global Health Innovation Center (Svjetskom centru zdravstvenih inovacija sveučilišta Duke), sadašnje prognoze ukazuju kako neće biti dovoljno cjepiva da se pokrije cijelo svjetsko stanovništvo do 2023. ili 2024. godine. Bogate zemlje su već rezervirale veliku količinu cjepiva za svoje građane. Ali što će onda moći učiniti siromašne zemlje? Stručnjaci kažu da će prve godine biti nedostatak cjepiva i da će cjepivo dobiti oni kojima je najpotrebnije. EU je najavila da će donirati 500 milijuna eura bespovratnih sredstava za potporu Instrumentu COVAX kako bi se osigurala dostupnost cjepiva protiv koronavirusa u zemljama s niskim i srednjim prihodima.

Niz zajednica posebno pati u takvim situacijama. Romi često nemaju pristup osnovnim zdravstvenim uslugama. Romi su izloženi riziku te je zajednicama kao što je romska teško boriti se s pandemijom COVID-19. Živjeći u uvjetima koji se čak ne smatraju ni prihvatljivim, nemajući zdravstveno osiguranje, odsječeni od grada i javne infrastrukture, Romi pate od COVID-19 više od većine ljudi.

Konačno, solidarnost je vrednota koja se treba širiti po cijelom svijetu i treba se primjenjivati na sve bez obzira na nacionalnost, dob ili spol. Solidarnost ne treba pokazivati riječima, već djelima. Ova “Godina korone“ pružila nam je sjajnu priliku da se ujedinimo i osmislimo novi koncept solidarnosti kako bismo pomogli cijelom stanovništvu svijeta.

 

 

 

 

 

December 20 is established as an International Human Solidarity Day by the UN General Assembly. The United Nations determine this date as a special and important day to remember about a number of things: to celebrate our unity in diversity, to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity, to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication etc.

Initially International Solidarity Day was proclaimed as a concept of solidarity to fight against poverty. But the organization also promotes peace, human rights, economic and social development.

Solidarity is an important value for the whole society. It promotes the idea of unity in diversity and recognizes a set of common, universal values that characterize us as human beings with dignity. For reaching this goal we need to establish a consensus about fundamental values, work to extend the principles of peace, equality, well-being and mutual recognition.

It is vital to find common ground and support each other in our needs, especially in this time of COVID-19. This year 2020 offered a number of situations which we could see when solidarity was or was not done towards those who were in need.

There was a case which happened at the beginning of the pandemic in Europe. Italy was wondering where European solidarity was when they needed it the most. In the beginning if the year, there was COVID-19 breakout in Italy, people were dying in huge numbers every day. The country was in shortage of medical supplies, such as masks, respirators etc. When Italy asked for urgent medical supplies under a special European crisis mechanism, no EU country responded. Germany was afraid of supplies shortage for its own citizens, that is why it initially banned the export of medical masks and other protective gear. A country which helped Italy in such difficult situation was China. 31 tonnes of supplies, including ventilators, were brought by the China Eastern flight. Some other help came from Cuba and Russia to Italy.

Later in April the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has offered an apology to Italy for not helping at the start of its deadly coronavirus outbreak. “Yes, it is true that no one was really ready for this. It is also true that too many were not there on time when Italy needed a helping hand at the very beginning,” she said. Many Italians criticized the EU’s response to the pandemic and said the EU did not do enough to help.

The situation has changed by now. Germany, Poland and Romania have sent teams of doctors to help treat patients in hospitals in the North and South of Italy. Austria, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg have made their intensive care units available to Dutch, French and Italian patients in critical condition. And there are many other cases.

A new issue appears with COVID-19 vaccine. According to Duke Global Health Innovation Center, current models predict that there will not be enough vaccines to cover the world’s population until 2023 or 2024. Rich countries have already reserved a big number of vaccine for their citizens. But what will the poor countries do? Experts say, there will be a shortage of vaccine in the first year and it will be given to those who are in need the most. Also, the EU has announced that it will contribute 500 million Euro in grant funding to support the COVAX Facitily to secure access to future COVID-19 vaccines in low and middle-income countries.

Some communities are especially excluded in such situations. Roma people do not have access to all of these basic medical coverage. Roma are in risk and it is hard for such communities to fight with COVID-19. Living in the conditions which are not even considered as basic, having no medical insurance, being cut off from the city and public infrastructure, Roma are struggling with COVID-19 even more than the majority of people.

Finally, solidarity is something what must be spread all around the world and used towards everyone, no matter of a nation, age or gender. Solidarity must be shown in deeds, not words. This “corona” year gave us a great opportunity to unite and create a new concept of solidarity in order to help the population of the whole world.