Last Saturday on my flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi I came across the article in this link in the International New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/world/americas/canada-syrian-refugees.html?_r=0

It is worth a read if you can at all afford the time. It relates to Canada and the ongoing global refugee crisis. Of course, the number of refugees taken in by Canada is relatively small (refugees as a proportion population) when compared to Sweden or Germany. Also, there is much fear in many places, including Canada, that a portion of those taken into ones country could turn out to be terrorists and that the Canadians may be shown to be naive in the future. But what I found compelling is that those offering help are willing to take that chance and assume that these people seeking help are who they say they are.

As indicated earlier, this article is about Canadians and how they are responding to the global refugee crisis. However, I am not sharing it with you because I am Canadian — I would have done so regardless of which nationality this story concerned. I am sharing this because as I read this article, I thought of ILRI and how much I would like to see a culture here that embodies the attributes conveyed in this story. You may find others, but among the attributes I discerned are: (a) caring about others (b) selflessness (c) sharing with others in their hour of need (d) respectful of others religion, culture, beliefs etc. (e) being proactive –seeing what needs to be done and pitching in without being asked (f) non-judgmental (f) trusting.

This is the ILRI I would really like to see.

Best wishes,

Jimmy Smith| Director General