By Ruth Stark, IFSW President
Social Work Day 2017 celebrated the power of social work to help people find positive change in their lives. 3 million social workers in 126 countries provides that base of a powerful social movement for global change.
In the last few days we have again joined social workers and the people with whom they work in solidarity to face the challenges of natural disasters and terrorism. People are moving beyond the expression of horror at the traumatic and forced changes in lives. They are offering and seeking an exchange of skills, knowledge and expertise in rebuilding their communities.
Our work in the Global Agenda for the Role of Social Work in Social Development demonstrates that helping people through the trauma of such events helping them engage in the rebuilding of their communities into safe and secure places to live is an essential and critical part of recovery.
Social Workers in the Yemen, Sierra Leone, Spain and Finland are particularly in focus this week. They are working with people in extraordinarily difficult and complex circumstances, they will journey with people until they feel safe and secure again in their lives and back in control.
From colleagues in Yemen who are working in the most horrific circumstances of war and cholera – they reach out to colleagues in Spain:
We at the General Union of Yemeni Social and Psychological Professionals condemn criminal acts. And terrorist attacks in Spain
“We are committed to peace and non-violence, we condemn all forms of terrorism, Barcelona has also recently suffered brutal attacks, and we want to send our heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families.” We would also like to express our commitment and commitment to all social workers in Yemen in solidarity
With our sincere appreciation
President of the General Syndicate Yemeni Social Work and Psychological Union
lرفعت حسن حمود
نحن فى النقابه العامه للاخصائيين الاجتماعيين والنفسيين اليمنيين بأننا ندين الأعمال الإجراميه . والاعتداءات الإرهابية في إسبانيا
وننا.نوكد بأن ا “العمل الاجتماعي ملتزم بالسلام وعدم العنف، ونحن ندين جميع أشكال الإرهاب. كما عانى برشلونة مؤخرا من هجمات وحشيه. ونريد أن نرسل إلى الضحايا وأسرهم تعازينا القلبية. . ونود أيضا أن نعرب عن التزامنا والتزام كافه الاخصايئين الاجتماعيين فى اليمن بالتضامن
مع خالص تقديرنا
رئيس النقابه العامه الأخصائيين الاجتماعيين والنفسيين اليمنيين
رفعت حسن حمود
IFSW is taking international social work to a different place, transcending national borders, building solidarity building connections so that we can bring all our resources together to achieve positive change in people’s lives.