Refugee Week – Day Four

June 24, 2016

This post was written yesterday & appeared on some social media channels then…

It’s an interesting day today isn’t it? It all feels a bit tense and I suspect there will be a far higher turn out than we have seen in years.

And it got me thinking about the pros and cons of democracy and the very fact that we have an opportunity to be allowed to make such a monumental decision.  I have worked with clients from countries as diverse as North Korea and Eritrea where  elections may be held, but nothing can change, the ruling party will stay the same.

Or countries such as the DRC or Sierra Leone where there have been competing parties and the very act of campaigning has been dangerous and the outcome has led to violence on the streets.

The causes of the civil war in Syria are complex, but a lack of voice and ability to democratically change things is a significant factor.

So today, whatever we think of the referendum, whatever our concerns about the outcome, whatever we think of the different parties involved in the whole process we have been able to make our own decision, that decision will be counted and, we believe, the truth of the outcome will be told in the numbers.

I am thankful we have this freedom and I hope and pray that we will be able to accept the outcome peacefully even if we are unhappy with it.

-Adele