School of Social Work Observes World Social Work Day
Addis Ababa University (AAU) School of Social Work conducted a half day symposium to celebrate World Social Work Day with the Global Theme: Co-Building a new Eco-social World: Leaving No one Behind at Nelson Mandela hall today, the 31st of March 2022.
The School celebrated the day in collaboration with Ethiopian Society of Sociologists, Social Workers and Anthropologists (ESSSWA) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
Zena Berhanu (PhD), Head of School of Social Work, said in his welcoming speech that social workers globally have been making a historic role in social development and solidarity. There are several humanitarian issues at global, regional and local levels that require cooperation among professionals including social workers, he added.
“We need to strengthen the actions we are taking in every setting that we are working at. It is my message that we need to re-think again and again whether our thoughts and actions are contributing towards peace, rights and social justice,” Dr. Zena emphasized.
Dr. Zena pointing that the aforementioned theme amplifies the right of people to live in peace and security, “We as a nation need a transition from violence to peace. We need to strive for a safer place where people could live with security, confidence and strong shared futures.”
Mr. Sintayehuc Dejene, Executive Director of ESSSWA, said in his keynote speech, people need to establish a new eco-social world in unison so that they can live in a society where vulnerability of the voiceless is highly reduced and people have their respected dignities through shared futures.
According to Sintayehu, the theme seeks an action plan to create new social order, values, policies and practices that develop trust, security and confidence among Ethiopians particularly those who are in lower standard of living and higher levels of social vulnerability.
Debebec Ero (PhD), Dean at College of Social Sciences, noted, “After the global COVID pandemic, the theme envisions that people co-build a world based on values that ensure our planet will be sustainable, and together we can provide good quality life cycles, for each part of our eco-systems on which we all depend, leaving no one behind.”
We should work together with people who use services and with others who share our objectives and aspirations to create a more socially just and fair world that we will be proud to leave to future generations, Dr. Debebe insisted.
Mrs. Yibzawork, from UNICEF, in her presentation said, “For achieving best results out of the social workers, we must continue improving the quality of social service workforce by using innovative and adapted learning methods and ensuring that capacity building is built on local knowledge, good practices and key principles such as do no harm, confidentiality and accountability.”
Source: Addis Ababa University