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In the current landscape, where power seems to concentrate in fewer hands, we are left to wonder: Can the voices of ordinary people still rise above the noise? Can we, the everyday citizens, still create change? The answer lies in our history, in the quiet but unwavering actions of those who refused to accept the world as it was.

We live in an age of immense transformation, yet with it comes a deepening sense of uncertainty. Across the globe, we witness the rise of unchecked power—particularly in places like the US—where freedoms are under siege, and democracy seems to be eroding. The structures that once held us together are fraying, and it can feel as though we are powerless to stop it. This applies to more places.

But history tells a different story. It is not the powerful or the privileged who have most often shaped the course of human events. It is the ordinary, the brave, and the determined who have moved mountains. Change has always been forged by those who, against all odds, dared to say, “Why not?” and acted.

I write to you, definitely not as a leader of a revolution of sorts , but just as a Family Physician in Australia- just as one person among the many. My blog, “We Dream About Things That Never Were and Say: Why Not!”, doesn’t come with grand proclamations. I am not a politician, nor am I a world changer in the conventional sense. I am just someone who spends their days helping people in small, intimate ways, listening, offering care, and sometimes asking, “What more can I do?” And though my journey may not seem extraordinary, like so many of you, I too am inspired by the belief that no act of resistance is too small.

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Change: The Power of Collective Action

History doesn’t remember the ones who waited for others to act. It remembers those who stood up, whether on a bus in Montgomery or on a battlefront in the heart of Africa, and said, “I will not be passive in the face of injustice.”

Think of Rosa Parks, who wasn’t a politician, but a quiet, determined woman who took a stand against racial injustice simply by staying seated on a bus. Her single act of defiance sparked the flame of the civil rights movement, lighting a path for countless others to follow.

Think of Jawdat Said, a Syrian philosopher who argued that nonviolence was not only possible but the most powerful force for change. From exile, he inspired generations to reject violence in favor of peaceful, yet powerful, resistance.

Think of Albert Schweitzer, a man of intellect and prestige, who left the comfort of his European life to build a hospital in the jungles of Africa, healing the forgotten and overlooked. His philosophy, that each of us has a “domain of responsibility,” compels us to look at our own lives and ask: In what ways can I make a difference?

And let us not forget Winston Churchill, who, in the darkest days of World War II, urged his nation to “never, never, never give up.” He knew that the fight was not just for victory—it was for something far more sacred: the preservation of human dignity and freedom.

But we must also remember the harsh truth: not all of us live in a world where we have the luxury of choice. In places torn by war, violence, and poverty—like Gaza, Ukraine, and countless regions in Africa—survival is the sole priority. For many, there is no room for activism, no space for protest. The struggle is simply to live another day.

And yet, even in these dire circumstances, the stories of incredible courage and resilience abound—though they rarely make the headlines. The mother in a refugee camp, shielding her children from harm. The doctor working with limited resources to save lives in a war zone. These individuals, whose names will never be written in history books, embody the essence of true resistance. Their bravery is quiet, uncelebrated, but no less powerful.

For those of us who have the privilege of choice, the question becomes: What will we do with that privilege? How will we use our voices, our resources, and our platforms to stand against the tide of unchecked power?

We are not helpless in the face of these challenges. The people we honor in this “speech”—those who refused to be silent—are proof that when we act, even the smallest of actions can send ripples of change. They have shown us that, no matter our position or our circumstances, we each have a responsibility to make the world better.

So I ask: What ripples will we send forth?

Will we sit idly by, or will we take up the mantle of those who fought for justice and dignity? Will we challenge the rise of power that seeks to divide and control? Will we, like Rosa Parks, refuse to accept a system that dehumanizes? Will we, like Albert Schweitzer, take responsibility for the lives of others, even if it means stepping out of our comfort zones?

Because the truth is this: change is not the work of a single person. It never has been. It is the result of countless, seemingly insignificant actions, each one building on the other, like a wave made up of tiny ripples. And those ripples, over time, have the power to sweep away even the most entrenched walls of oppression.

Paul Alexander Wolf

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Afterword: The Figures Who Stood for Change

The figures quoted in this speech—Mandela, Parks, Churchill, Hugo, Shariati, Mahfouz, Said, and Schweitzer—represent more than just historical icons. They are symbols of the power of ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Nelson Mandela’s life reminds us that true leaders are those who stand firm in the face of injustice, no matter the cost. His 27 years in prison did not silence him; they made him a voice for the voiceless. His story proves that enduring change comes not from compromise, but from unwavering resolve.

Rosa Parks’s small act of defiance led to the birth of the civil rights movement. It is a reminder that even the most quiet of acts can ignite a global revolution.

Victor Hugo used his pen to expose the injustices of his time. His novel Les Misérables wasn’t just a story of revolution—it was a call to action. His words, “Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise,” offer hope in the midst of despair.

Ali Shariati’s advocacy for social justice and his writings on nonviolent resistance continue to resonate. He taught us that the fight for justice isn’t about violence—it’s about unwavering moral courage.

Naguib Mahfouz’s words encapsulated the soul of his people, giving voice to the struggles of the common man. In a world that too often forgets the everyday person, Mahfouz’s writing reminds us that every life has its story, and every story has its power.

Jawdat Said’s teachings on nonviolence are a call for us all to embrace the peaceful resistance of the heart and mind, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Albert Schweitzer’s call for a “reverence for life” reminds us that we do not need to be world-renowned to make a difference. Every day, we have the opportunity to touch a life, heal a wound, and make the world a better place.

And, as Robert F. Kennedy so eloquently said: “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope… And those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

The question remains: What ripples will we send forth?