Helping Iraq's Children
...every step of the way

Congresswoman Kay Granger, Ambassador Samir Al-Sumaidai, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you Rand , for your kind words… and for all of you present here tonight for trying to make the world a better place for its citizens. Tonight we share a special dream to make the lives of Iraqi children better and safer.  

I am truly honored to stand before you on what I see as a fundamental cause: To do all we can on behalf of Iraqi children’s survival and betterment. Helping children is a basic human instinct.  

What is it about childhood that we hold so dear, in our own lives and in the universal experience of life? 

I suppose there are many reasons which play its own distinct roles in our special regard for that part of life we call childhood, but I prefer to imagine that the most profound explanation lies within our own memories of childhood – and the dreams that those memories inspire in us even until our dying hours.

We all began our lives as children. Children bring us together. They remind us of what is really important in life. And, working together, I know there is much we can – and must -- bring to children. 

Things like clean water and proper sanitation, which can reduce the risk of a child dying, things like the basic childhood immunizations that all of us here take for granted. We can bring children cost-effective interventions for maternal and newborn health – which could help save the lives of the women who die in pregnancy or childbirth each year… and the babies who never make it to one month old.  We can bring them access to quality education – for girls as well as boys – because we know, that “education is the foundation of everything.”  

Now of course, it is easier to call for action than it is to catalyze change. But I am convinced that transformational change is just the sum of many small steps – footprints marking a path ahead where none existed before.  With your help, we can bring better lives to Iraqi children every step in the way. 

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Iraq Foundation was founded in 1991, its mission for whom it was founded was simple: to promote democracy and human rights. Through many programs and projects it helped build support to Iraq ’s new democratic experiment. P rojects ranging from Iraq Constitution Assistance Project, Human Rights Education, Iraqi American National Network, Iraqi Community Organizing Project,  Iraq Civil Society Program, Iraq Research and Documentation Project, The Revitalization of Iraqi Schools and Stabilization of Education, Eden Again Project to Study the Restoration of the Southern Marshes, in addition to several publications, and numerous seminars and Conferences, Iraq Foundation helped achieve its objective in the promotion of democratic and human rights culture in Iraq. Tonight “Iraq Foundation” is trying to help Iraqi Children by focusing on the special needs of children; it understands that rebuilding war-torn societies must begin with children.

The idea of investing in children as a way of bringing positive change within Iraqis communities, the forgotten children of Iraq, the children whose voice is not heard, this is the new extension to the mission of “Iraq Foundation”.

And so here we are, and here I am, honored to be supporting Iraq Foundation’s mission among such noble and accomplished company. 

As a group, you and I have been asked tonight to reflect and explore how can we support Iraqi children and offer thoughts on how we might find new pathways toward peace and democracy that will correspond with the threats to humanity that face us in this challenging era of Iraq history.

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In March 2003, Iraq was liberated and a new future of hope began.  We were then, and today we remain, proud of that historic moment. I was humbled by the honor of serving as the only woman at the first Iraqi Government after the fall of Saddam’s regime. The truth is, at the time, we were challenged with the task of building a representative and pluralistic democracy. We did not expect it to be an easy task then. And it was certainly not anymore than today it is. 

Looking back on the daily challenges I faced in Baghdad for nearly three years, it remains clear to me that it was not only my aspirations for Iraq that motivated my daily actions, but the aspiration for our children and for our future that was being honored by keeping the hope alive of a brighter future. 

This past Wednesday was Nawrouz day which was and will be celebrated in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for several days; some other communities in the region also celebrate Nawrouz. Nawrouz means “New Day” in Kurdish. This holiday is celebrated by all Iraqi as a beginning of a new day and a new season. This should come as no surprise that all Iraqis celebrate the new day, Nawrouz. T he changing of the seasons, the renewal of the earth at spring, has provided inspiration for centuries. May it inspire peace in Iraq this year and the years to come?

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Tonight we can’t avoid remembering the war and mothers and dreams.  The news and pictures from Iraq are in our mind, and we know that neither the mothers of the fallen US soldiers, nor the mothers of the fallen Iraqis, would want the picture we see now to be the prevailing impression about Iraq .

Allow me to tell you a personal story that I encountered with am American mother who lost her son in Iraq . Jesse Warren Strong was killed in action in Iraq on 26 January 2005. His life and the lives of another three marines who lost their lives in that day were featured in the CNN Independent Investigation report that was aired few weeks ago. At the end of the program Jesse’s mother, Victoria, call all of us, but mainly the American viewers, to see beyond today’s not-so-positive pictures that are coming from Iraq . She wanted us to wait and allow democracy and freedom to take its roots in Iraq and she hoped that in 40 years when Iraq will be an established safe, secure and prosperous democracy, an Iraqi will call her and tell her thank you for your sacrifices. She said that she would say to that Iraqi “it was a privilege”.

Well, Mrs. Victoria Strong, Jesse’s mother, did not need to wait for 40 years. I called her this morning, after I got her contact information from CNN, to tell her THANK YOU. How right this mother is, we need to see beyond today and look for the potential future that Iraq have and will have and should have. The dream will be realized and seen and lived by us and our children.

However different the lives of parents, however high or humble their station, it can be said that their aspirations for their children are remarkably alike:  To be safe and happy in childhood; to grow up healthy and strong; to live long and prosper (to quote a great philosopher); to do good, even great deeds; to receive respect and love; and to have children of their own.

Our dreams for our Iraqi children are remarkably universal.  And it is in these universal dreams that Iraq Foundation believes its pathway to a more just and peaceful Iraq .  It requires us to invest in the simple dreams we hold in common – but to do so visibly, powerfully, inclusively, and in tempo with local needs.

A principle mission of tonight fundraising is to help, even if in a small way, that these dreams are able to take root and flourish.  It is our mission tonight to invest in human potential. 

But we cannot do it on our own.  We need far more outside support than the government of Iraq alone can do, in resources, leadership, and true commitment. 

In a period of my 32 months in Baghdad , I traveled to many places where tens of thousands of Iraqis staff are working to safeguard children’s health and ensure their education while building protective environments that will safeguard them from exploitation and abuse and threats of unsafe water and inadequate sanitation.

We have the know-how. We have the technology.  We have the resources.  We even have the shared dreams.   

To me, the welfare of today’s children is inseparably linked with the peace of tomorrow’s Iraq .

Perhaps investing in children is a hard sell, but I don’t think so.  It just takes the right leaders to sell it.  Leaders who understand the aspirations we all share, who grasp both the fears and joys within our memories, who can sell us faith in our own dreams.  We believe those leaders must come from all sectors, not just government.  They probably already know who they are.  In media, in academia, in business, in civil society.  In the armed forces. They are all of you who are present here tonight and many others who are contributing but are not present tonight, but their charitable spirit is among us.

Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no stronger bond for building national unity than the welfare of our children – and that is why we need to launch an across-the-board drive to address the humanitarian needs of Iraq ’s young, which represent half of the country’s population of 26 million.

And as I am talking to you tonight, I have many children in mind. All of them are special. They Are telling us how much they are suffering because of grown-ups’ mistakes. And I am sure they are saying now “We’ll never forgive you if you go on tonight and turn your back on us.” 

For the specials, all children of Iraq, the millions of them whose voices are not being heard… let us commit to take a stand, and take a step, and make real change for their survival and betterment tonight. 

Jesse Strong, in a letter he sent from Iraq to school children in his hometown in Vermont quote the following line: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith”

Ladies and gentlemen, we are fighting the good fight, and we need to finish the race, so let’s keep the faith in a brighter future for Iraq by helping Iraqi children.

Thank you.

iraq@iraqfoundation.org

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