By Diane Marie Williams and Nina Meyerhof
Currently about 2 million refugees have fled from Ukraine to Poland to seek safety. Several members of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle formed “Team Hope” to offer their support. Nina Meyerhof and Domen Kocevar, co-founders of One Humanity Institute, and Diane Marie Williams, founder of the Source of Synergy Foundation, as well as friends Christine Burych, Angelika Kobl, representatives of local schools and the Rotary International, did direct service work on the ground at the border, registration centers, train stations and shelters focusing their attention on giving Teddy Bears and art supplies to children, setting up emotional first aid and beginning the outfitting a “House of Hope” that is part of One Humanity Institute in Oswiecim-Auschwitz, Poland for 20-40 refugees that will serve as a safe and nourishing place of hope that will meet their immediate needs for shelter and food, warmth, connection as well as serve as a social innovation co-learning space.
We are also suggesting to the government to take 12 barracks adjacent to Auschwitz that One Humanity Institute is hoping to acquire to house its future activity centers and create a City of Hope that could house 1,000 people during the crisis. The transformation of these buildings from structures of war into shelter and eventually the One Humanity Institute will serve as a symbolic model for the kind of change required for humanity’s survival.
Evolutionary Leaders Dot Maver of the Global Silent Minute, Anne-Marie Voorhoeve of the The Hague Center for Global Governance, and Jon Ramer of the SINE Network, as well as Fumi Johns Stewart and Jules Loren of May Peace Prevail on Earth International, Becky Suzik, Janice Hall and countless others contributed steadfast support from afar.
"Friends, this war seems to be the epicenter of our world change with ripples out into the world which could alter life forever," says Nina Meyerhof. "It’s a time of uniting as one humanity…no longer words but rather words into actions. Each one of us is needed now to make a difference somehow. Energetically our team was carried through every step of our trip and yet now the work begins. Please be creative and help – imagine how and when and where."
You are welcome to donate to this cause at https://gofund.me/1b76a10c.
Please help us raise awareness about this immediate need by sharing this campaign with your networks.
If you have ideas or connections to companies in Poland that could help outfit the “House of Hope” with furniture, computers, and other household items or if you want to volunteer please contact info@onehumanity.institute.
"While in Poland our team encountered literally thousands of people, mainly women and children that had to leave all that gave them security: their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers, their homes, schools, community, jobs and dreams. While this is unimaginable, what we also witnessed was incredible acts of kindness with people opening their homes and hearts to those in need. The outpouring of love and generosity we witnessed was a tribute to the true power of the human spirit.” – Diane Marie Williams