Having effortlessly transitioned into acting, Fouzia's debut film swiftly captured global acclaim, earning accolades at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival
For many hours, I have relied upon a distinguished companion to endure this confinement: none other than Winston Churchill. I have always been fascinated by the wartime British prime minister, and these days I have been able to discover new details about his life, thanks to an extraordinary biography by the historian Andrew Roberts.
Churchill's admirable resilience throughout World War II is an endless source of inspiration, particularly in times like these. His character and track record - both undoubtedly complex - remind us that heroism is compatible with imperfection, that presence of mind is compatible with contradiction, and that courage is compatible with hesitation. Characters like Churchill deserve to be recognized, which is not to say they should be uncritically glorified.
In the private wars that many of us are already waging against COVID-19, and that many others will unfortunately have to fight as well, we will surely experience some of the "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" that Churchill spoke of in May 1940. But we should also try to emulate his buoyant spirit. The virus reportedly alters some patients' senses of smell and taste, but there is no reason why it should numb our sense of humor.
From a collective standpoint, it also makes sense to take a page out of Churchill's book. In recent days, many world leaders have claimed that we are at war against the virus - and, to some extent, they are right. As in any other war, resources need to mobilized, and a host of civic values - such as duty, comradeship, and public service - need to be promoted with renewed conviction. The outstanding health professionals who, in Spain and all over the world, are giving their absolute best to fight the virus and alleviate the suffering of the ill are an example to us all.
We are facing a crisis of historic proportions. But if what we are going through can indeed be called a war, it is certainly not a typical one. After all, today's enemy is shared by all of humankind, and the mobilization of state resources must go hand in hand with the demobilization of most of the population.
Second, we must not mistake patriotic responsibility - which no doubt will be needed and welcome - for exclusive forms of nationalism. This is no time for scapegoating or succumbing to panic and liberating our worst instincts. The ongoing crisis will be resolved only through rationality, compassion, and mutual understanding, both within and beyond our borders. All avenues of international scientific and technological cooperation must be explored, and always in a spirit of solidarity, which today, more than ever, overlaps fully with our own interests. The key to overcoming the current crisis is to ensure that the global spread of best practices outpaces the global spread of the virus.
Javier Solana is a former Secretary-General of Nato
Having effortlessly transitioned into acting, Fouzia's debut film swiftly captured global acclaim, earning accolades at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival
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