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Day 44:Never Again

“There is no greater calling than service to others.” Oprah Winfrey

Today is Remembrance Day. We take one minute out of this day to remember those who have served our country and who have lost their lives in the never ending wars that ravage our world.

Today I wanted to remember and honour someone that served in the Military for his adult life. He is far from dead and his service to others just keeps going.

This man is Lieutenant- General Romeo Dallaire. He has spent his life “being of service” to our country and continues to push the boundaries of philanthropy define as “the love of man kind”.

Dallaire is a war hero. He has experienced atrocities we could never begin to imagine.  He is widely known for having served as Force Commander of UNAMIR, the ill-fated United Nations peacekeeping force for Rwanda between 1993 and 1994, and for trying to stop the genocide that was being waged by Hutu extremists against Tutsis. This seems to be enough in one person life, but not this man. Now he has created an organization called The Will to Intervene Project (W2I).

The project describes itself as follows:

“W2I is a crucial initiative that focuses on the prevention of genocide and other crimes against humanity.”

When I decided I wanted to start a project that would help change our world, it became such a huge under taking in my mind. It scared me from doing it much of the time. Reading stories about someone like Romeo Dallaire makes me realize I can take on any project to create change if I just focus myself to and stay committed to my beliefs. He is not taking on a small blog every day but taking on governments and policies. He is creating an awareness campaign which may take his entire life to create any change.  It may just get the ball rolling or create enough awareness for a project that at his death he has inspired others to pick up where he left off and who will continue the fight to create change.

Day 44 / GIVE 44

Today I bought a poppy to wear on my coat in honour of Romeo Dallaire. He isn’t just a soldier that went to war for his country, he was a soldier that went to war to help others. Instead of letting his dramatic life altering experience in Rwanda break him, he rose from it and has used it to benefit others. He has taken his experiences and is sharing it with the world to create the change that needs to be done. His books Shake Hands with the Devil and most recently They Fight like Soldiers, They Die like Children share his story and message which is “Never Again”

Many of us have had experiences that change us so dramatically we wish they never happen to anyone else. Dallaire has dedicated his life to make sure tragedies like Rwanda never happen again.

What experiences have changed you life enough, that would make you stand up and shout to the world “never again.” What will you do about it or have you already done? Tell us your story.

Time Commitment: 30 seconds to purchase my poppy

Cost: $2.00

What people are saying about 365give

“I wanted to express my gratitude for the teaching you provided today. Your message was delivered eloquently, compassionately, and without judgment. The kids were engaged, and now have knowledge with which they can change the world. We all appreciated how you took the time to help us learn to build positive mindsets and practice happiness.”
Shelley Gardner, Grade 6 Ridgeview Elementary (West Vancouver)
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Deepika Ahuja, Mom (Bangalore, India)
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Cella Adriana, Special Needs Educator /The Holliswood School (New York City, USA)
“The 365give Challenge helps students understand their impact on others. It opens avenues for introducing and discussing global and local issues in classrooms. It is powerful to watch students of all ages think about how they can make a change in another person’s life with one small act.”
Jessica Hall, Primary Teacher, French Immersion at École Pauline Johnson (West Vancouver, Canada)