The Humanity First Unity Summit, held Sunday at the Giovanni Caboto Club in Windsor, brought together charities, government agencies, businesses, and volunteers to learn how to work together and amplify their community impact. The event, organized by Dr. Nauman Iftikhar, an anesthesiologist at Windsor Regional Hospital, attracted about 500 people—far exceeding expectations.
Many Voices, One Mission
The conference's mission, “Many Voices, One Mission,” underscored the importance of connections. “I think knowing one another makes such a great difference. We have made so great connections today that it will help us,” Iftikhar said. “You learn from one another. I think that’s a beauty (of the conference), to be honest.”
Humanity First, a global charitable organization operating in more than 60 countries, focuses on protecting human life and dignity through international disaster relief, food security, medical and health programs, education, eye care services, orphan care, refugee resettlement, and safe drinking water initiatives. In 2011, it was granted Special Consultative Status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Local Leaders and Charities Unite
The audience heard public awareness lectures and remarks from local leaders, including Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, Windsor Regional Hospital President and CEO Kristin Kennedy, and Windsor Fire Chief James Waffle. About 45 charities participated in the conference. Aslam Daud, chair of Humanity First Canada, highlighted the power of collaboration: “Impact grows when people work together. A single organization may have resources, another may have expertise, another may have volunteers, and another may have community connections, but when we combine our strength, we create something much greater.”
Kristen Scott, director of emergency services at Windsor Regional Hospital, delivered a compelling presentation on bleeding control, noting that uncontrolled bleeding is the number one most preventable cause of death. “You don’t need to be a doctor, a nurse, or a first responder to save a life,” she said. The Stop the Bleed initiative partners with Essex-Windsor EMS and fire and police officials on education efforts.
Building a Network for Change
Iftikhar stressed that cooperation among organizations magnifies their impact. In his opening remarks, he told the audience: “Imagine the impact when all of these organizations work together instead of separately.” The summit aimed to create lasting connections that would enable charities to pool resources, expertise, and volunteers to address community challenges more effectively.
