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A worldwide tribute to healthcare workers, Essential service workers, researchers, and to the victims of COVID-19

A worldwide tribute to healthcare workers, Essential service workers, researchers, and to the victims of COVID-19

It builds upon the spontaneous demonstrations of gratitude already occurring in some cities, towns, villages and neighbourhoods around the world.

WHAT ? A worldwide tribute to all healthcare workers and medical researchers working tirelessly to contain and eliminate the COVID-19 virus, and also
to victims of the virus.

Healthcare workers are doctors and nurses in hospitals, clinics and private practice, and every level of technical, administrative, cleaning and other support staff, all to varying degrees putting their lives at risk daily.

Researchers are striving to discover and develop a cure and an effective way to treat those infected with the virus – and often working directly with the virus in this endeavour. Essential Service workers.

Victims are those who have lost their lives to the virus or suffered, as well as their grieving families and loved ones.

HOW ? A two-minute tribute in the form of a worldwideone-minute silence for the victims of the virus, followed by one-minute of sustained applause for the medical and health professionals and support staff working tirelessly to save the lives of infected citizens and find cures.

Participants may choose to organise their own short public statements to mark the tribute. The attached Background offers some possible words. We will recommend some statements to consider on our social media platforms.

WHO ? Everyone, and especially local and community leaders, charities, influencers, celebrities, world leaders, governments, companies and organisations.

– Every person who receives this can ‘spread the word’ through any and all communication methods and media platforms available.

WHEN ? At 2pm on Wednesday 08 July 2020 (in each time zone) and at 2pm on 11 March in future years.

As soon as practicable after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic (on 11 March 2020). We need to disseminate this message widely and to mobilise individuals, communities and organisations to come together for the tribute.

A tribute on 11 March each future year would mark the anniversary of the declaration and remind us to acknowledge and show our gratitude for the compassion, sacrifices and for the successes that saved millions of lives.

WHERE ? Wherever you are, in every place, in every country, and as publicly and
jointly as possible.

At work, home, in front of your home, balconies, schools, streets, parks, shopping centres, and in Parliaments – in any space, especially if the tribute can be communal and comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocols.

WHY ? To publicly demonstrate, worldwide, an expression of our gratitude and esteem for all those working ‘at the front line’ and ‘behind the scenes’ to care for the virus sufferers and to find a cure and treatment – and also to the victims.

Healthcare workers everywhere are the real heroes of the COVID-19 virus crisis now gripping the world. They are ‘at the front line’, aware of the risks of being in immediate contact with the contagion of an as yet untreatable virus. Despite this, they are working tirelessly, with dedication and passion, often in very poor conditions with inadequate personal protection, to ease the suffering of the surging numbers of infected patients, to help them recover – or, sadly, to see them suffer or die in spite of so much effort and commitment.

These ‘healthcare workers’ are not just nurses and doctors. They are also paramedics, essential service workers, carers, drivers, orderlies, cleaners, virus testers, and all admin and support staff.

Despite precautions, some healthcare workers have themselves caught and succumbed to the COVID-19 virus, which strikes quickly and silently with little warning. Knowing the dangers, they have lost their lives helping others.

We would be selling the front line healthcare workers short if we didn’t also share this tribute with the very people the workers have been risking their lives for – the sufferers and victims of COVID 19, which has proven fatal to many, leaving loved ones grieving.

And this tribute also embraces the many ‘behind the scenes’ workers. This includes the epidemiologists and medical historians developing ways to predict the likely trajectory of this novel virus through our communities, the public health officials, and the contact trackers and data analysts working to give us among many other things the most effective results for tracing and containing the spread of the virus.

Especially it includes the hundreds of medical researchers in many countries striving to discover, develop, test and produce a treatment and cure, as well as an effective way to successfully treat those suffering from the virus. It is sobering to consider that many of these scientists in white lab coats are constantly working directly with the virus in their laboratories, seeking to find and exploit a ‘chink’ in its armour.

These ‘essential workers’ don’t have the privilege of the self-quarantining being widely recommended and practised in communities around the world.

So far, the spontaneous public gratitude and respect has already been immeasurable. We mustn’t let this die down and slip from our memories. Hence our proposal to repeat the tribute annually on a significant date – 11 March, the day the pandemic was declared.

Although any form of public tribute is rarely more than a token gesture of our gratitude and esteem for the dedication, passion and sacrifices of these ‘soldiers’ and ‘angels’, it is in our hearts to express it nonetheless. Appreciation and ‘thank you’ messages are always welcome.

COVID-19 has made abundantly clear the importance and value of investing in a strong health workforce. Many around the world are once again valuing our public health systems.

Action

Everyone is asked to own and promote this tribute, using whatever means you have available. Social media are very effective tools to ‘spread the word’ quickly and to engage and mobilise your networks.

From here on, ‘we’ are all communities, influencers, leaders and organisations around the world – in fact, everybody – who we’re calling on to come together and be a part of this universal tribute.

Nobody alone owns this proposal. It belongs to everyone. It is an opportunity for us all to act together as one at the same time inspiring the spirit of our health workers and our hope for humanity to rise again. Everyone is invited to participate and feedback via social media.

To assist, The originator World Tribute Day has set up Social Media Channels: @worldtributeday include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Instagram. Website:

www.worldtributeday.org

(Launches on 26 April 2020)


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Dr Simon Gadir said: “Amar is a 21-year-old Sydney University student and Elite Athlete. An accomplished sportsperson awarded the world’s first university skateboarding scholarship, in 2017 till current. An international skateboarder seeking selection in the Australian Tokyo Olympics team. Twice selected as an Australia Day Ambassador. A rapper, with a passionate belief engagement is the answer to international hope and sustainable overall harmony, equality for women, sports, education and a healthier world”.