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DUBAI COMMUNITY DONATES BLOOD FOR MEMORY
By Tamar Hacoyan on February 9, 2015
Friday is treated like a Sunday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
but nine days into 2015, which marks the Centennial of the Armenian
Genocide, the Dubai Blood Donation Center warmly opened its doors
for a private donation event by the Armenian community there.
The event was in support of the "Blood for Memory" (BFM) initiative
that aims to collect 1.5 million blood donations across the globe to
honor the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Members of the Armenian community of Dubai donate "Blood for Memory"
In a country where the majority of residents are expatriates, this
gathering was special, for most participants did not know each other.
The event was organized via a public Facebook page. Yet, in no time
the blood donation center was transformed into some sort of community
center, with parents socializing while donating blood and kids playing
cheerfully in the hall.
Donating blood
None of the donors present had ever donated before. Until the BFM
initiative reached us, we hadn't even realized how important blood
donations are. A car accident victim, for example, might need as
many as 45 donations to survive. Blood donations are free, they are
healthy. A donation takes only 20 minutes.
A global cause
A significant number of Armenians arrived in the United Arab Emirates
back in the 1950's. Today, there are about 5,000 Armenians in the
UAE with 2 churches, community centers, and Sunday Schools. It was
a privilege to give "drops of life" to this country that has warmly
been hosting the Armenian community on its soil, while dedicating
the donations symbolically to the innocent victims of the Armenian
Genocide.
Among the donors was Tate Bakalian, a UAE resident with roots going
back to Moussa Ler and to Anjar in Lebanon. He reflected on the many
tragedies the Armenian people have gone through--the massacres, the
genocide, the World Wars, the Lebanese Civil War, the Artsakh War,
the Earthquake of 1988, and most recently the crisis in Syria. "We
often were in need for blood, a drop of life," he told me. "100
years have passed since the Armenian Genocide, but we are still here
because they failed, and we are proud to share life." Another donor
reminded us that how foreign nationals and nations saved and hosted
the Armenian survivors of the genocide. "It's a noble gesture to give
back some life!"
But "Blood for Memory" aims to reach out to people of all origins. And
so the organizers were very touched to see an Indian family walk in,
saying they had come to "donate 'Blood for Memory.'" The mother had
randomly come across the event page on Facebook. They had never heard
of Armenians and their story before. Now they have.
In addition to the many cheerful and intellectual events taking place
among the Armenian community in Dubai, the BFM donation event was a
particularly meaningful experience for everyone present.
Is it possible to get 1.5 million donations in 2015? We can do it,
if you join us now.
About BloodforMemory.org
"Blood for Memory" was launched in Geneva under the aegis of the
Swiss Committee for Armenian Organizations in commemoration of the
2015 Centennial. A growing number of celebrities, as well as some
Turkish intellectuals, are supporting the initiative. The website is
built on a volunteer basis and has been translated into 12 languages
to help achieve maximum international exposure. The project is looking
for satellite teams to be established across the globe to help reach
the goal of 1.5 million donations during 2015. For more information,
visit www.bloodformemory.org.
http://armenianweekly.com/2015/02/09/dubai-blood-for-memory/
From: A. Papazian
By Tamar Hacoyan on February 9, 2015
Friday is treated like a Sunday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
but nine days into 2015, which marks the Centennial of the Armenian
Genocide, the Dubai Blood Donation Center warmly opened its doors
for a private donation event by the Armenian community there.
The event was in support of the "Blood for Memory" (BFM) initiative
that aims to collect 1.5 million blood donations across the globe to
honor the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Members of the Armenian community of Dubai donate "Blood for Memory"
In a country where the majority of residents are expatriates, this
gathering was special, for most participants did not know each other.
The event was organized via a public Facebook page. Yet, in no time
the blood donation center was transformed into some sort of community
center, with parents socializing while donating blood and kids playing
cheerfully in the hall.
Donating blood
None of the donors present had ever donated before. Until the BFM
initiative reached us, we hadn't even realized how important blood
donations are. A car accident victim, for example, might need as
many as 45 donations to survive. Blood donations are free, they are
healthy. A donation takes only 20 minutes.
A global cause
A significant number of Armenians arrived in the United Arab Emirates
back in the 1950's. Today, there are about 5,000 Armenians in the
UAE with 2 churches, community centers, and Sunday Schools. It was
a privilege to give "drops of life" to this country that has warmly
been hosting the Armenian community on its soil, while dedicating
the donations symbolically to the innocent victims of the Armenian
Genocide.
Among the donors was Tate Bakalian, a UAE resident with roots going
back to Moussa Ler and to Anjar in Lebanon. He reflected on the many
tragedies the Armenian people have gone through--the massacres, the
genocide, the World Wars, the Lebanese Civil War, the Artsakh War,
the Earthquake of 1988, and most recently the crisis in Syria. "We
often were in need for blood, a drop of life," he told me. "100
years have passed since the Armenian Genocide, but we are still here
because they failed, and we are proud to share life." Another donor
reminded us that how foreign nationals and nations saved and hosted
the Armenian survivors of the genocide. "It's a noble gesture to give
back some life!"
But "Blood for Memory" aims to reach out to people of all origins. And
so the organizers were very touched to see an Indian family walk in,
saying they had come to "donate 'Blood for Memory.'" The mother had
randomly come across the event page on Facebook. They had never heard
of Armenians and their story before. Now they have.
In addition to the many cheerful and intellectual events taking place
among the Armenian community in Dubai, the BFM donation event was a
particularly meaningful experience for everyone present.
Is it possible to get 1.5 million donations in 2015? We can do it,
if you join us now.
About BloodforMemory.org
"Blood for Memory" was launched in Geneva under the aegis of the
Swiss Committee for Armenian Organizations in commemoration of the
2015 Centennial. A growing number of celebrities, as well as some
Turkish intellectuals, are supporting the initiative. The website is
built on a volunteer basis and has been translated into 12 languages
to help achieve maximum international exposure. The project is looking
for satellite teams to be established across the globe to help reach
the goal of 1.5 million donations during 2015. For more information,
visit www.bloodformemory.org.
http://armenianweekly.com/2015/02/09/dubai-blood-for-memory/
From: A. Papazian