The coronavirus. A pandemic virus. Unstoppable and has killed thousands all around the world. Weirdly racism has increased when it should be decreasing. We’re all under quarantine and I think we should realize what we are. We’re nothing really, because no matter how wealthy you are or where you live, the whole world is under quarantine.
The funny thing is, something as small as the coronavirus, something unseen, something untouchable or able to be smelt has locked us all in our houses. It has made the world lose economically, money, and socially, the lives of citizens.
We used to walk in the streets like we were untouchable. We believed our money, nationality, ethnicity could always protect us to live freely, how has it now? Every country, wealthy or poor, every person, smart or not has been locked up in their own house for weeks.
Every citizen locked in their country, with no ins or outs. This is a clear reminder, that we are all the SAME. Why do we feel better than others? Why does age, color, nationality, religion or wealth matter? In the end we’re all stuck at home, struggling to get through this. No country, race, or religion was able to control the coronavirus better than another.
You, reading this, you’re no different than me. We’re both scared of the coronavirus, we’re more scared of not knowing when it’ll end? How will it end? How many lives will it take before it ends? How will the world recover from this? So why has racism increased?
The base of racism is feeling superior to another race, religion or nationality. How can someone have that superiority when they are suffering in the same identical way as everyone else. As a world we should realize that in the end we are all HUMANS. Humans who require air, water, food, and shelter to live. No human less than another.
So why are foreigners not welcomed in many countries now? In some countries there are calls to kick foreigners completely out, in other places xenophobia rates have increased greatly. And people aren’t realizing it.
Egypt, like any country, went through this Pandemic outbreak and unlike others helped other countries. We sent supplies to countries in need, and helped them. More importantly helped our world, not just our country. Because this outbreak isn’t something each country is facing alone, but an outbreak the world is facing together.
We should learn to treat everyone equally in order for our world to keep developing. It might not be your country, but it’s still our world. We need to keep this time in mind, we need to learn from this time that we are all deprived of the same things no matter where we are, and who we are. We need to learn that we are the same.
Lina Mohamed: Egyptian high school student living in Switzerland
