Thanks Banoj Hotel

Thanks Banoj Hotel
Jamal Al-jawaheryJanuary 18, 2014

During our preparations for the ToT workshop related to Women Power in Politics project ,which was held in a Banoj hotel about dialogue and conflict resolution for youth ,the workshop attended by many organizations including Al-Amal association and representatives from various provinces of Iraq; I left the hotel towards Baghdad in the early morning on December 28, 2013 which was the last day of the workshop, in that day at half past ten at night my colleague called me (Falah Al-Alusi) to tell me that the participants from Anbar province, who were eight in number could not return to their towns because of the fighting there and blockage of the roads, we agreed to deliver them a sum of money to stay in Erbil for a day or two until the roads are open again and thus they can return to their towns. By mid of the night as they were discussing some issues, the hotel director noticed confusion between Falah and the group, they explained the situation to him when he asked them, then he asked them to visit him in his office in the next day. Falah returned to Baghdad next day early yet he followed the details with them instantly.

The next day the hotel director told them that they are hotel guests until the crisis end, i inquired the status of our participants in the hotel from the director, and he surprised me by his decision to host the group of participants as guests for a week, without any financial compensation from us.

the hotel director make us relieved and pleased, so we decided to honor him during the workshop  as a recognition of his generosity we made this decision in order to honor any charity and volunteer work to help each other as Iraqis, it’s an important and great lesson for all of us.

When Falah Al-Alusi asked the hotel director to meet us in the training hall, the director asked Falah if there is any default from the hotel staff. The recognition surprised him, there is no doubt he was happy and surprised as well as everyone else in the training hall, but I kept my tears in my eyes and I think others did the same too.,