WHA: address by Reverend Desmond Tutu

[Guest guest]

Hi NetRUMians,Please read Rev Tutu's address to the World Health Assembly

this week, contributed by our member Jayesh PatelIt is indeed moving address, well delivered, at appropriate time. Some formating changes have been made to highlight the contents.VijayGroupie -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WHA: address by Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2008/wha61/desmond_mpilo_tutu_speech/en/index.htmlAddress by Reverend Desmond Mpilo TutuArchbishop Emeritus, Cape Town, and Nobel Prize LaureateThank you Mr President for that thoughtful introduction. Director-General Margaret Chan and Deputy Director-General Anarfi Asamoa-Baah,your Excellencies, honourable health ministers and delegates fromaround the world:It is a very great honour to have been invited to address this augustHealth Assembly especially in the year when you mark the anniversaryof the founding of WHO 60 years ago. The World Health Organization isthe world's health agency and guardian of the right to the highestattainable level of health for all people. Thank you. I amoverwhelmed. It is an auspicious year since it is also the 60thanniversary of the signing of the UN Universal Declaration of HumanRights. As it happens it is also the 30th anniversary of your own AlmaAta Declaration on Primary Health Care and the 7th anniversary of theAbuja Declaration pledging 15% of the national budget to be earmarkedfor health by African Heads of State.Thus there is no shortage of significant subjects about which we couldconfer together. I received a letter from Consumers International thaturged me to raise the issue of childhood obesity. They claim thatworldwide 22% of all children under 5 years old are overweight. I havean embarrassment of riches. But as I have mulled over a possibletopic, it struck me quite forcibly that in many ways it would in factbe somewhat presumptuous of me to talk to you about health issues whenyou are the professionals and have a plethora of experts you couldcall on who would have the specific data relating to your area ofinterest.I thought it would be less so and more appropriate if I were to speakin the area of my own competence – the spiritual, the religious orethical sphere. I would be likely to speak with a bit more confidenceand perhaps a modicum of authority.Reflecting again on your history and Constitution, the fullness of theright to health is still incomplete. Health not only encompasses thephysical, mental and social wellbeing, but must be inclusive ofspiritual wellbeing. Let me explain:

State of the worldI have a favourite book of cartoons by the late Mel Calman of theLondon Observer newspaper entitled, "My God". One shows God somewhatnonplussed and saying, "Oh dear, I think I have lost my copy of theDivine Plan!" Looking at the state of the world we might be forgivenfor wondering if God ever had a plan at all. There are devastatingfloods in one part and destructive droughts in other parts. Couldn'tGod have organised things better so that there was enough water forall? Then there are all the man-made disasters of tyranny andoppression, an endless doleful catalogue of woe. There are the longlines of bedraggled refugees from natural and man-made disasters. Wehave the casualties of racism, ethnic strife and xenophobia andstaring us in the face is the looming catastrophe of climate changeand ecological degradation signaled by tsunamis, cyclones andhurricanes.And you would be particularly aware of the devastation caused bydisease – TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, river blindness, polio, cholera,infant mortality, maternal illnesses, many fuelled by poverty –children dying of easily preventable diseases if they could but getthe inexpensive vaccination/inoculation; many illnesses resulting froma lack of clean water, proper sanitation and decent housing. There isalso evil when we refuse or become immobilized by bureaucracies orcorruption to provide the needed remedy to heal the nations. We mustnever forget that as government leaders, we have a calling to dispelignorance, restore justice and defend liberty. We have this calling toensure peace and build good health. Much disease and heartbreak ispreventable if governments had the political will – the 15% Nowcampaign seeks to urge African Heads of State to honour their pledgesand so prevent unnecessary deaths of 8 million of their citizens.Then there are those leaders playing havoc with the well-being, thehealth of their people. In these places, even the children areenlisted into ranks of soldiers. Likewise, parents watch helplessly astheir children succumb, either because medication is rendered uselessbecause of lack of electricity and so of refrigeration, or they areheld up at check points and may fail to reach the hospital in time, ifat all. Beloved, health cannot be de-linked or separated from thekilling effects of living under the bonds of terror, oppression andtyranny.The times are thoroughly out of joint. Evil is real and rampant. Inour Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, we weredevastated by the stories of atrocities committed. "We gave himdrugged coffee and shot him in the head. Then we burned his body. Ittakes 7-8 hours for this to happen and so we had a barbecue and drankbeer." You wondered what could have happened to the humanity of thoseperpetrators that they could sink so low. We realized of course thatit bore witness to the fact that you and I, all of us, have thishorrendous capacity for evil. Those who supported Hitler did not havehorns and tails. They were human beings like you and me, often evenprominent, respected members of their communities. Yes, we all havethe capacity to sink so low.But wonderfully, that turned out not to be the whole story, nor indeedthe most important part of the story. Wonderfully, exhilaratingly,there was another, a glorious side. We witnessed extraordinaryexhibitions of magnanimity as victims of the most ghastly atrocities,people who should have been consumed by bitterness and a lust forrevenge, we witnessed how they spoke words of forgiveness, ofgenerosity to their tormentors and we realized then that, yes, we havea capacity for evil, but, wonderfully, exhilaratingly, as I saidbefore, we have this amazing capacity for good.Early this year we visited Darfur – the descriptions do not tell halfthe story of the awfulness that we found there. We had a meeting withthe internally displaced people and staggeringly they could laugh –what an amazing example of the resilience of the human spirit in theface of daunting conditions. The Muslim men wore white costumes – andthey were spotless. It all testified to the wonder of the humanspirit, the capacity to laugh, to cling to dignity and self respect,to refuse to see oneself as a victim, or to be pitied as one.And then we were impressed by another feature of that depressinglandscape – the wonder of the remarkable humanitarian workers. Thesewere citizens of different lands most of whom could have led safe andcomfortable lives in their homelands. But no, here they were, someretuning more than once in this bleak place, so utterly insecure,where they ran the risk of being abducted and woe betide the victim ifit was a woman – running the gauntlet of sexual violation and worse.And yet here they were as they were to be found in so many other partsof the world which was hurting either through natural or manmadedisaster. There they were with an amazing dedication and commitmentmaking you feel proud to be a human being. And many of those yourepresent are found in this glorious company of humanitarian workersas doctors, nurses, ambulance workers – Wow, what a fantastic array ofgoodness, of compassion, of caring – continuing the Divine project ofhealing a broken and wounded world; making whole that which isalienated and hurting.All of you in the healing enterprise are God's collaborators in makingthis a better world – more compassionate, gentler, more caring, andmore sharing. In the tradition of Abraham there is a notion that Goddeliberately made the world imperfect so that God could enlist us allin the business of making the world perfect.When we were fighting against the viciousness of apartheid, we helpedto sustain the morale and the hope of our people in what seemed anunequal struggle by reminding them that ours was a moral universe,that there was no way in which wrong, evil, injustice, oppressioncould ever have the last world. This was God's world and God was incharge. Sometimes you wanted to whisper in God's ear, "God, we knowyou are in charge – but why don't you make it more obvious?"Yes, wrong, evil will not have the last word. Goodness, compassion,love, justice, laughter, caring -- these are what will prevail, willtriumph over their ghastly counterparts. Tyrants, dictators,perpetrators of injustice and oppression may strut about the stage asif they were invincible cocks of the walk. But as sure as anything,they will get their come-uppance; they will bite the dustignominiously. That is the verdict of history – the tyrants, thedepots, the upholders of apartheid, etc. etc. – where are they now?No, we will not gloat.I have sometimes imagined that when God looks down at the mess we havemade of things, that God might wonder, "What ever got into me tocreate that lot?" and God weeps. And then God looks again at you andall those others who want to help God change this world to make it abetter world and, hey, a smile begins to break over God's face likethe sun shining through the rain and God says, "Ja, that is why Icreated them, they are vindicating me." And a little angel, have youseen a little angel? Goes and wipes the tears from God's eyes.And God says, "Please help me – please help me to realize my dream;that all my children will know that they are sisters and brothers,members of one family, the human family, God's family – please helpme, help me!"

The right to healthIt is evident from generations of witness that there is no situationthat cannot be transformed. There is no person who is hopeless, thatis without a hope and a remedy. There is no set of circumstances thatcannot be turned about by human beings and their natural capacity forlove. It is essential that the world see such ideas are put intoaction through the promises of the WHO, on behalf of all people,communities and nations. For we need each other to become truly free,to become human, and enjoy the spiritual well-being of our creation inrelationship to God and each other.When we review the right to health, we cannot help but notice that itsglobal scope contains the hopes and aspirations of all the peoples ofthe world. It also calls upon the WHO to guard and guide the nations –the Member States, as you call them – protecting their citizens andguaranteeing the right to health for all people. It is a sacred andsolemn covenant – a promise, if you would – that you are called uponto undertake. Let me thank you for your tenacious commitment and whatthis means in the lives of the more than 6 billion residents of thisplanet.It is a godly coincidence that nearby the World Council of Churches(WCC) is also celebrating its 60th year. Together WHO and WCC share acommon mission to the world, protecting and restoring body, mind, andspirit. It is important that this is also the 40th anniversary of theChristian Medical Commission, whose values and experience in primaryhealth care, informed and shaped the 1974 WHO Guidelines for PrimaryHealth Care, which were reaffirmed at Alma Ata.You see, we – faith and health – have been together a very long time.Health is not only freedom from suffering and illness, but accordingto your Constitution: "Health is a state of complete physical, mentaland social well-being and not merely the absence of disease orinfirmity." These words enshrine the fundamental reason you are hereand suggest something of what we share in our commitment to the world,together. Perhaps it would be good for us to include the recognitionthat there is an intrinsic relationship between God and humankind,which can be acknowledged as "spiritual well-being"? Perhaps one daythis notion of well-being can be included in the WHO definition ofhealth?

ConclusionYou are the guardians of the dream of "Health for "All". You have theopportunity and responsibility to lead the world into a healthy place.You are the enactors of justice: justice in the distribution of acountry's wealth for health; justice to meet the MillenniumDevelopment Goals; justice to save the lives of your people and enablethem to prosper and build healthy nations! God is watching. The peopleare waiting. You are commissioned to go to wipe the tears away fromall faces and bring forth lives filled with strength, and purposewhich will make for peace. God bless you. God bless WHO. And thank you.

[Guest guest]

What a beautiful speech by Reverend Desmond Titu! Wish we could hear it live. -AnupamaVijay <drvijaythawani@...> wrote: Hi NetRUMians,Please read Rev Tutu's address to the World Health Assembly this week, contributed by our member Jayesh PatelIt is indeed moving address, well delivered, at appropriate time. Some formating changes have been made to highlight the

contents.VijayGroupie ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHA: address by Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2008/wha61/desmond_mpilo_tutu_speech/en/index.htmlAddress by Reverend Desmond Mpilo TutuArchbishop Emeritus, Cape Town, and Nobel Prize LaureateThank you Mr President for that thoughtful

introduction. Director-General Margaret Chan and Deputy Director-General Anarfi Asamoa-Baah,your Excellencies, honourable health ministers and delegates fromaround the world:It is a very great honour to have been invited to address this augustHealth Assembly especially in the year when you mark the anniversaryof the founding of WHO 60 years ago. The World Health Organization isthe world's health agency and guardian of the right to the highestattainable level of health for all people. Thank you. I amoverwhelmed. It is an auspicious year since it is also the 60thanniversary of the signing of the UN Universal Declaration of HumanRights. As it happens it is also the 30th anniversary of your own AlmaAta Declaration on Primary Health Care and the 7th anniversary of theAbuja Declaration pledging 15% of the national budget to be earmarkedfor health by African Heads of State.Thus there is no shortage of significant

subjects about which we couldconfer together. I received a letter from Consumers International thaturged me to raise the issue of childhood obesity. They claim thatworldwide 22% of all children under 5 years old are overweight. I havean embarrassment of riches. But as I have mulled over a possibletopic, it struck me quite forcibly that in many ways it would in factbe somewhat presumptuous of me to talk to you about health issues whenyou are the professionals and have a plethora of experts you couldcall on who would have the specific data relating to your area ofinterest.I thought it would be less so and more appropriate if I were to speakin the area of my own competence – the spiritual, the religious orethical sphere. I would be likely to speak with a bit more confidenceand perhaps a modicum of authority.Reflecting again on your history and Constitution, the fullness of theright to health is still

incomplete. Health not only encompasses thephysical, mental and social wellbeing, but must be inclusive ofspiritual wellbeing. Let me explain: State of the worldI have a favourite book of cartoons by the late Mel Calman of theLondon Observer newspaper entitled, "My God". One shows God somewhatnonplussed and saying, "Oh dear, I think I have lost my copy of theDivine Plan!" Looking at the state of the world we might be forgivenfor wondering if God ever had a plan at all. There are devastatingfloods in one part and destructive droughts in other parts. Couldn'tGod have organised things better so that there was enough water forall? Then there are all the man-made disasters of tyranny andoppression, an endless doleful catalogue of woe. There are the longlines of bedraggled refugees from natural and man-made disasters. Wehave the casualties of racism, ethnic strife and xenophobia

andstaring us in the face is the looming catastrophe of climate changeand ecological degradation signaled by tsunamis, cyclones andhurricanes.And you would be particularly aware of the devastation caused bydisease – TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, river blindness, polio, cholera,infant mortality, maternal illnesses, many fuelled by poverty –children dying of easily preventable diseases if they could but getthe inexpensive vaccination/inoculation; many illnesses resulting froma lack of clean water, proper sanitation and decent housing. There isalso evil when we refuse or become immobilized by bureaucracies orcorruption to provide the needed remedy to heal the nations. We mustnever forget that as government leaders, we have a calling to dispelignorance, restore justice and defend liberty. We have this calling toensure peace and build good health. Much disease and heartbreak ispreventable if governments had the

political will – the 15% Nowcampaign seeks to urge African Heads of State to honour their pledgesand so prevent unnecessary deaths of 8 million of their citizens.Then there are those leaders playing havoc with the well-being, thehealth of their people. In these places, even the children areenlisted into ranks of soldiers. Likewise, parents watch helplessly astheir children succumb, either because medication is rendered uselessbecause of lack of electricity and so of refrigeration, or they areheld up at check points and may fail to reach the hospital in time, ifat all. Beloved, health cannot be de-linked or separated from thekilling effects of living under the bonds of terror, oppression andtyranny.The times are thoroughly out of joint. Evil is real and rampant. Inour Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, we weredevastated by the stories of atrocities committed. "We gave himdrugged coffee and

shot him in the head. Then we burned his body. Ittakes 7-8 hours for this to happen and so we had a barbecue and drankbeer." You wondered what could have happened to the humanity of thoseperpetrators that they could sink so low. We realized of course thatit bore witness to the fact that you and I, all of us, have thishorrendous capacity for evil. Those who supported Hitler did not havehorns and tails. They were human beings like you and me, often evenprominent, respected members of their communities. Yes, we all havethe capacity to sink so low.But wonderfully, that turned out not to be the whole story, nor indeedthe most important part of the story. Wonderfully, exhilaratingly,there was another, a glorious side. We witnessed extraordinaryexhibitions of magnanimity as victims of the most ghastly atrocities,people who should have been consumed by bitterness and a lust forrevenge, we witnessed how they spoke words of

forgiveness, ofgenerosity to their tormentors and we realized then that, yes, we havea capacity for evil, but, wonderfully, exhilaratingly, as I saidbefore, we have this amazing capacity for good.Early this year we visited Darfur – the descriptions do not tell halfthe story of the awfulness that we found there. We had a meeting withthe internally displaced people and staggeringly they could laugh –what an amazing example of the resilience of the human spirit in theface of daunting conditions. The Muslim men wore white costumes – andthey were spotless. It all testified to the wonder of the humanspirit, the capacity to laugh, to cling to dignity and self respect,to refuse to see oneself as a victim, or to be pitied as one.And then we were impressed by another feature of that depressinglandscape – the wonder of the remarkable humanitarian workers. Thesewere citizens of different lands most of whom could have led

safe andcomfortable lives in their homelands. But no, here they were, someretuning more than once in this bleak place, so utterly insecure,where they ran the risk of being abducted and woe betide the victim ifit was a woman – running the gauntlet of sexual violation and worse.And yet here they were as they were to be found in so many other partsof the world which was hurting either through natural or manmadedisaster. There they were with an amazing dedication and commitmentmaking you feel proud to be a human being. And many of those yourepresent are found in this glorious company of humanitarian workersas doctors, nurses, ambulance workers – Wow, what a fantastic array ofgoodness, of compassion, of caring – continuing the Divine project ofhealing a broken and wounded world; making whole that which isalienated and hurting.All of you in the healing enterprise are God's collaborators in makingthis a better

world – more compassionate, gentler, more caring, andmore sharing. In the tradition of Abraham there is a notion that Goddeliberately made the world imperfect so that God could enlist us allin the business of making the world perfect.When we were fighting against the viciousness of apartheid, we helpedto sustain the morale and the hope of our people in what seemed anunequal struggle by reminding them that ours was a moral universe,that there was no way in which wrong, evil, injustice, oppressioncould ever have the last world. This was God's world and God was incharge. Sometimes you wanted to whisper in God's ear, "God, we knowyou are in charge – but why don't you make it more obvious?"Yes, wrong, evil will not have the last word. Goodness, compassion,love, justice, laughter, caring -- these are what will prevail, willtriumph over their ghastly counterparts. Tyrants, dictators,perpetrators of injustice and

oppression may strut about the stage asif they were invincible cocks of the walk. But as sure as anything,they will get their come-uppance; they will bite the dustignominiously. That is the verdict of history – the tyrants, thedepots, the upholders of apartheid, etc. etc. – where are they now?No, we will not gloat.I have sometimes imagined that when God looks down at the mess we havemade of things, that God might wonder, "What ever got into me tocreate that lot?" and God weeps. And then God looks again at you andall those others who want to help God change this world to make it abetter world and, hey, a smile begins to break over God's face likethe sun shining through the rain and God says, "Ja, that is why Icreated them, they are vindicating me." And a little angel, have youseen a little angel? Goes and wipes the tears from God's eyes.And God says, "Please help me – please help me to realize my dream;that

all my children will know that they are sisters and brothers,members of one family, the human family, God's family – please helpme, help me!" The right to healthIt is evident from generations of witness that there is no situationthat cannot be transformed. There is no person who is hopeless, thatis without a hope and a remedy. There is no set of circumstances thatcannot be turned about by human beings and their natural capacity forlove. It is essential that the world see such ideas are put intoaction through the promises of the WHO, on behalf of all people,communities and nations. For we need each other to become truly free,to become human, and enjoy the spiritual well-being of our creation inrelationship to God and each other.When we review the right to health, we cannot help but notice that itsglobal scope contains the hopes and aspirations of all the peoples ofthe world. It

also calls upon the WHO to guard and guide the nations –the Member States, as you call them – protecting their citizens andguaranteeing the right to health for all people. It is a sacred andsolemn covenant – a promise, if you would – that you are called uponto undertake. Let me thank you for your tenacious commitment and whatthis means in the lives of the more than 6 billion residents of thisplanet.It is a godly coincidence that nearby the World Council of Churches(WCC) is also celebrating its 60th year. Together WHO and WCC share acommon mission to the world, protecting and restoring body, mind, andspirit. It is important that this is also the 40th anniversary of theChristian Medical Commission, whose values and experience in primaryhealth care, informed and shaped the 1974 WHO Guidelines for PrimaryHealth Care, which were reaffirmed at Alma Ata.You see, we – faith and health – have been together a very long

time.Health is not only freedom from suffering and illness, but accordingto your Constitution: "Health is a state of complete physical, mentaland social well-being and not merely the absence of disease orinfirmity." These words enshrine the fundamental reason you are hereand suggest something of what we share in our commitment to the world,together. Perhaps it would be good for us to include the recognitionthat there is an intrinsic relationship between God and humankind,which can be acknowledged as "spiritual well-being"? Perhaps one daythis notion of well-being can be included in the WHO definition ofhealth? ConclusionYou are the guardians of the dream of "Health for "All". You have theopportunity and responsibility to lead the world into a healthy place.You are the enactors of justice: justice in the distribution of acountry's wealth for health; justice to meet the MillenniumDevelopment Goals; justice to save the lives of your people and enablethem to prosper and build healthy nations! God is watching. The peopleare waiting. You are commissioned to go to wipe the tears away fromall faces and bring forth lives filled with strength, and purposewhich will make for peace. God bless you. God bless WHO. And thank you.

Explore your hobbies and interests. Click here to begin.

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr. Anupama

I heard the speeches of both Rev. Archbishop Desmond Titu of Cape Town and Her Highness Royal Princess Ruma of Jordan. They were guests together in one of the main World Health Assembly sessions. You must have read the speech of Desmond Titu which he delivered here at Geneva but has not seen his way of delivering. He is truly a man of public and has mesmerised us all. The speech of Princess Ruma was equally impressive but she has grace in her lifestyle, which I noticed. The president of the WHA before their speeches briefed the contributions of these personalities on health aspects. I am surprised to note the contribution of Princess in the field of nursing and midwifery all over the world.

Syed Ziaur Rahman

On 5/22/08, anupama sukhlecha <anupama_acad@...> wrote:

What a beautiful speech by Reverend Desmond Titu! Wish we could hear it live.

-Anupama Vijay <drvijaythawani@...> wrote:

Hi NetRUMians,Please read Rev Tutu's address to the World Health Assembly this week, contributed by our member Jayesh PatelIt is indeed moving address, well delivered, at appropriate time. Some formating changes have been made to highlight the contents.

VijayGroupie -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WHA: address by Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2008/wha61/desmond_mpilo_tutu_speech/en/index.html

Address by Reverend Desmond Mpilo TutuArchbishop Emeritus, Cape Town, and Nobel Prize LaureateThank you Mr President for that thoughtful introduction. Director-

General Margaret Chan and Deputy Director-General Anarfi Asamoa-Baah,your Excellencies, honourable health ministers and delegates fromaround the world:It is a very great honour to have been invited to address this august

Health Assembly especially in the year when you mark the anniversaryof the founding of WHO 60 years ago. The World Health Organization isthe world's health agency and guardian of the right to the highestattainable level of health for all people. Thank you. I am

overwhelmed. It is an auspicious year since it is also the 60thanniversary of the signing of the UN Universal Declaration of HumanRights. As it happens it is also the 30th anniversary of your own AlmaAta Declaration on Primary Health Care and the 7th anniversary of the

Abuja Declaration pledging 15% of the national budget to be earmarkedfor health by African Heads of State.Thus there is no shortage of significant subjects about which we couldconfer together. I received a letter from Consumers International that

urged me to raise the issue of childhood obesity. They claim thatworldwide 22% of all children under 5 years old are overweight. I havean embarrassment of riches. But as I have mulled over a possibletopic, it struck me quite forcibly that in many ways it would in fact

be somewhat presumptuous of me to talk to you about health issues whenyou are the professionals and have a plethora of experts you couldcall on who would have the specific data relating to your area ofinterest.

I thought it would be less so and more appropriate if I were to speakin the area of my own competence – the spiritual, the religious orethical sphere. I would be likely to speak with a bit more confidenceand perhaps a modicum of authority.

Reflecting again on your history and Constitution, the fullness of theright to health is still incomplete. Health not only encompasses thephysical, mental and social wellbeing, but must be inclusive ofspiritual wellbeing. Let me explain:

State of the worldI have a favourite book of cartoons by the late Mel Calman of theLondon Observer newspaper entitled, " My God " . One shows God somewhatnonplussed and saying, " Oh dear, I think I have lost my copy of the

Divine Plan! " Looking at the state of the world we might be forgivenfor wondering if God ever had a plan at all. There are devastatingfloods in one part and destructive droughts in other parts. Couldn't

God have organised things better so that there was enough water forall? Then there are all the man-made disasters of tyranny andoppression, an endless doleful catalogue of woe. There are the longlines of bedraggled refugees from natural and man-made disasters. We

have the casualties of racism, ethnic strife and xenophobia andstaring us in the face is the looming catastrophe of climate changeand ecological degradation signaled by tsunamis, cyclones andhurricanes.

And you would be particularly aware of the devastation caused bydisease – TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, river blindness, polio, cholera,infant mortality, maternal illnesses, many fuelled by poverty –children dying of easily preventable diseases if they could but get

the inexpensive vaccination/inoculation; many illnesses resulting froma lack of clean water, proper sanitation and decent housing. There isalso evil when we refuse or become immobilized by bureaucracies orcorruption to provide the needed remedy to heal the nations. We must

never forget that as government leaders, we have a calling to dispelignorance, restore justice and defend liberty. We have this calling toensure peace and build good health. Much disease and heartbreak ispreventable if governments had the political will – the 15% Now

campaign seeks to urge African Heads of State to honour their pledgesand so prevent unnecessary deaths of 8 million of their citizens.Then there are those leaders playing havoc with the well-being, thehealth of their people. In these places, even the children are

enlisted into ranks of soldiers. Likewise, parents watch helplessly astheir children succumb, either because medication is rendered uselessbecause of lack of electricity and so of refrigeration, or they areheld up at check points and may fail to reach the hospital in time, if

at all. Beloved, health cannot be de-linked or separated from thekilling effects of living under the bonds of terror, oppression andtyranny.The times are thoroughly out of joint. Evil is real and rampant. In

our Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, we weredevastated by the stories of atrocities committed. " We gave himdrugged coffee and shot him in the head. Then we burned his body. Ittakes 7-8 hours for this to happen and so we had a barbecue and drank

beer. " You wondered what could have happened to the humanity of thoseperpetrators that they could sink so low. We realized of course thatit bore witness to the fact that you and I, all of us, have thishorrendous capacity for evil. Those who supported Hitler did not have

horns and tails. They were human beings like you and me, often evenprominent, respected members of their communities. Yes, we all havethe capacity to sink so low.But wonderfully, that turned out not to be the whole story, nor indeed

the most important part of the story. Wonderfully, exhilaratingly,there was another, a glorious side. We witnessed extraordinaryexhibitions of magnanimity as victims of the most ghastly atrocities,people who should have been consumed by bitterness and a lust for

revenge, we witnessed how they spoke words of forgiveness, ofgenerosity to their tormentors and we realized then that, yes, we havea capacity for evil, but, wonderfully, exhilaratingly, as I saidbefore, we have this amazing capacity for good.

Early this year we visited Darfur – the descriptions do not tell halfthe story of the awfulness that we found there. We had a meeting withthe internally displaced people and staggeringly they could laugh –

what an amazing example of the resilience of the human spirit in theface of daunting conditions. The Muslim men wore white costumes – andthey were spotless. It all testified to the wonder of the humanspirit, the capacity to laugh, to cling to dignity and self respect,

to refuse to see oneself as a victim, or to be pitied as one.And then we were impressed by another feature of that depressinglandscape – the wonder of the remarkable humanitarian workers. Thesewere citizens of different lands most of whom could have led safe and

comfortable lives in their homelands. But no, here they were, someretuning more than once in this bleak place, so utterly insecure,where they ran the risk of being abducted and woe betide the victim ifit was a woman – running the gauntlet of sexual violation and worse.

And yet here they were as they were to be found in so many other partsof the world which was hurting either through natural or manmadedisaster. There they were with an amazing dedication and commitmentmaking you feel proud to be a human being. And many of those you

represent are found in this glorious company of humanitarian workersas doctors, nurses, ambulance workers – Wow, what a fantastic array ofgoodness, of compassion, of caring – continuing the Divine project ofhealing a broken and wounded world; making whole that which is

alienated and hurting.All of you in the healing enterprise are God's collaborators in makingthis a better world – more compassionate, gentler, more caring, andmore sharing. In the tradition of Abraham there is a notion that God

deliberately made the world imperfect so that God could enlist us allin the business of making the world perfect.When we were fighting against the viciousness of apartheid, we helpedto sustain the morale and the hope of our people in what seemed an

unequal struggle by reminding them that ours was a moral universe,that there was no way in which wrong, evil, injustice, oppressioncould ever have the last world. This was God's world and God was incharge. Sometimes you wanted to whisper in God's ear, " God, we know

you are in charge – but why don't you make it more obvious? " Yes, wrong, evil will not have the last word. Goodness, compassion,love, justice, laughter, caring -- these are what will prevail, willtriumph over their ghastly counterparts. Tyrants, dictators,

perpetrators of injustice and oppression may strut about the stage asif they were invincible cocks of the walk. But as sure as anything,they will get their come-uppance; they will bite the dustignominiously. That is the verdict of history – the tyrants, the

depots, the upholders of apartheid, etc. etc. – where are they now?No, we will not gloat.I have sometimes imagined that when God looks down at the mess we havemade of things, that God might wonder, " What ever got into me to

create that lot? " and God weeps. And then God looks again at you andall those others who want to help God change this world to make it abetter world and, hey, a smile begins to break over God's face like

the sun shining through the rain and God says, " Ja, that is why Icreated them, they are vindicating me. " And a little angel, have youseen a little angel? Goes and wipes the tears from God's eyes.

And God says, " Please help me – please help me to realize my dream;that all my children will know that they are sisters and brothers,members of one family, the human family, God's family – please help

me, help me! "

The right to healthIt is evident from generations of witness that there is no situationthat cannot be transformed. There is no person who is hopeless, thatis without a hope and a remedy. There is no set of circumstances that

cannot be turned about by human beings and their natural capacity forlove. It is essential that the world see such ideas are put intoaction through the promises of the WHO, on behalf of all people,communities and nations. For we need each other to become truly free,

to become human, and enjoy the spiritual well-being of our creation inrelationship to God and each other.When we review the right to health, we cannot help but notice that itsglobal scope contains the hopes and aspirations of all the peoples of

the world. It also calls upon the WHO to guard and guide the nations –the Member States, as you call them – protecting their citizens andguaranteeing the right to health for all people. It is a sacred andsolemn covenant – a promise, if you would – that you are called upon

to undertake. Let me thank you for your tenacious commitment and whatthis means in the lives of the more than 6 billion residents of thisplanet.It is a godly coincidence that nearby the World Council of Churches

(WCC) is also celebrating its 60th year. Together WHO and WCC share acommon mission to the world, protecting and restoring body, mind, andspirit. It is important that this is also the 40th anniversary of theChristian Medical Commission, whose values and experience in primary

health care, informed and shaped the 1974 WHO Guidelines for PrimaryHealth Care, which were reaffirmed at Alma Ata.You see, we – faith and health – have been together a very long time.Health is not only freedom from suffering and illness, but according

to your Constitution: " Health is a state of complete physical, mentaland social well-being and not merely the absence of disease orinfirmity. " These words enshrine the fundamental reason you are here

and suggest something of what we share in our commitment to the world,together. Perhaps it would be good for us to include the recognitionthat there is an intrinsic relationship between God and humankind,which can be acknowledged as " spiritual well-being " ? Perhaps one day

this notion of well-being can be included in the WHO definition ofhealth?

ConclusionYou are the guardians of the dream of " Health for " All " . You have the

opportunity and responsibility to lead the world into a healthy place.You are the enactors of justice: justice in the distribution of a

country's wealth for health; justice to meet the MillenniumDevelopment Goals; justice to save the lives of your people and enable

them to prosper and build healthy nations! God is watching. The peopleare waiting. You are commissioned to go to wipe the tears away from

all faces and bring forth lives filled with strength, and purposewhich will make for peace. God bless you. God bless WHO. And thank you.

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-- Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine & Sciences

Tijara House, Dodhpur, Aligarh 202002, India