We stand in unison

For=20 a

Common=20 Denominator

By: Union of = Tigreans in=20 North America (U.T.N.A)

Recently, the Tigray = Disabled=20 Veterans Association (T.D.V.A) delegation that toured the US and Canada, = returned home safely registering a resonating triumph and exuding the = deepest=20 love and sympathy from the Tigray community and friends in North America = The=20 sojourn of the T.D.V.A delegation was unparaleled in its capacity and = outcome=20 attracting and magnetzing a huge audience in all the cities it set its = legs=20 on.

The TDVA project = 2007, sponsored=20 and hosted by the Union of Tigreans in North America (U.T.N.A) right = from its=20 inception is a project that anchored its design and ample implementation = on the=20 unreserved participation of the Tigray Community in general, and is the = first=20 project that has pooled the resources, expertise and above all the = voluntary=20 participation and partnership of the members of the Tigray community, = both=20 individually and collectively.

The excellent rapport = and network=20 that was facilitated by UTNA in concert with members of the Tigray = Community=20 from all walks of life was unmatched. UTNA, drew a plan and had designed = the=20 project to focus on three, quintessentially fundamental issues.

The primary target = was to garner=20 as much as possible a chunk of cash that could buttress T.D.V.A=92s = provisional=20 financial objective, to serve as an added input to its grand mission. = This part=20 of the project, which appealed to the Tigray Community and friends was a = complete success, cashing in over $ 270,000 / Two hundred thousand = dollars/ way=20 above the amount that was earmarked. This was a real phenomenal outcome, = that=20 was earned due to the undivided and united stand of the Tigray = Community.

It is pertinent to = underscore the=20 meaning behind this success story. The community came forward = unhesitatingly in=20 support of the TDVA project, because that was an expression of our = commonality.=20 Not only did it leave un indelible mark for good, demonstrating the = unity of all=20 members of the Tigray Community, when if comes to our common history, = collective=20 struggle, regional issues and salient points pertaining to the = sovereignty of=20 our Country Ethiopia and the well being of its people, but also sent an=20 unmistakable message that the Tigray Community, stands as one and united = for any=20 future common agenda.

This oneness was = vividly=20 exemplified by the sprouting of Ad-hoc committees, tentatively formed in = all the=20 cities of the delegation=92s trip. These committees were drawn from all = walks of=20 life, profession, age groups and gender voluntarily. This voluntary = partnership=20 by the community with U.T.N.A is a telling testimony to the underlining, = responsibility and preparedness of the Tigray Community, when it comes = to a=20 collective national issue, where everybody joins ranks to tackle the = issue on=20 hand.

The other objective = of the=20 T.D.V.A project envisioned by U.T.N.A, was to facilitate and put in = place,=20 crucial networking with firms, organizations, and individuals that could = provide=20 the needed resources over time. This mission too, registered a = convincingly=20 encouraging outcome. Added to this, the third objective of drawing, = identifying=20 and recruiting members to augment continued strength and sustainability = of=20 needed support was also successful.

The media and public = relations=20 access that was accrued to the delegation through the coordinated effort = of=20 U.T.N.A and the Community at large and the various fora, that were = facilitated=20 also served as a feeding point for the success of the T.D.V.A project = 2007.

U.T.N.A would like to seize upon this propitious=20 opportunity and the window of collective understanding that has = currently=20 transpired in the ranks of the Tigray Community, to further blossom and = develop=20 to enable us to come together and contribute our share towards = addressing and=20 alleviating other burning issues that pertain to the need for our = consensus and=20 commonality, in unison, and together for a common good.

U.T.N.A is positively = hopeful=20 that the timely and responsible partnership and unreserved participation = of the=20 Tigray Community and friends, in one spirit and motto, would replicate = itself in=20 the future, and calls upon the entire Community and friends to continue = to stand=20 up and be counted for our common interest and responsibility. We, would = like to=20 avail ourselves to come forward and to express our appreciation for the=20 uninhibited participation displayed by the Tigray Community and friends, = for the=20 startling victory scored in realizing the T.D.V.A project 2007 sponsored = and=20 hosted by U.T.N.A.