Yes, a ship named Aquarius arrived in Spain. On board more than 600 people with a horrible trip behind them. It has become a symbol of solidarity for the tragic way in which the ship was rejected by the Maltese and Italian governments, causing the rescue boat to drift aimlessly for hours... until a change of government in Spain caused society to press in such a way that there was no other option for the new social democratic government that to welcome the Aquarius in Valencia.
Most people are celebrating how solidarity works.
I do not see solidarity anywhere. I see fulfillment of the commitments acquired with Human Rights. And these are universal.
Spain has still not accomplished with the European quotas for the distribution of refugees. Despite the change of government. Despite the gesture of the Aquarius. Despite Solidarity. Despite Human Rights. It is not the only one, unfortunately.
Every day the people, more wounded and more broken, arrive at the Mediterranean coast of Europe. And the European Union looks the other way. Despite its Prize for Peace!
I also saw children in jails yesterday. Apparently, the government of the United States is separating children from their parents to comply with an immigration law. And they tell me that it is not something new, this was already done during the Obama administration. Despite his Prize for Peace!
I do not see how a democracy can call itself as such, doing things like that.
For more than 60 years, Palestinian families have suffered the consequences of disastrous and inhumanly unjust political decisions and the repeated breaches of UN mandates by Israel.
And many of us look at another place because we know that writing about it, denouncing it, can frustrate our promising neoliberal careers.
What have we become? How does all this started?
People are not goods. People are people. Like you and me. And our families.
We are teachers. How long are we going to avoid this conversation in our schools? Whatever we do in our classrooms has impact, it matters. Neutrality is not like skipping the whole thing.
The struggle for the recognition of Human Rights is a universal goal that dignifies us as human beings. No matter where.
Today is World Refugee Day. What about to celebrate it by focusing in our classrooms on what matters? Further than a proposal, I feel it is our duty, our obligation as educators. When if no now?
We need empathetic adults. Our challenge as a school is to be able to give the necessary support to accompany and encourage the development of empathy and sensitivity of our children today to ensure that the adults of tomorrow do not repeat the actions that I have seen in those images, images that will not be erased easily from my head.
Today is World Refugee Day, talk about Human Rights, everywhere. They are universal.
