A mynah now residing in the United Arab Emirates has learned to say “hello”. The bird, arrived in the country in the company of a girl who had fled Afghanistan, was then picked up by the French ambassador to the Emirates.
Xavier Chatel said on Twitter that he was touched by the vision of this young Afghan girl and her bird. The girl arrived “exhausted” at Al-Dhafra air base (United Arab Emirates) during mass evacuations from Kabul, after the capture of the Afghan capital by the Taliban in August.
There is a story I have been meaning to tell for a while. During the Afghan evacuation operation, a girl arrived at Al Dhafra airbase, exhausted, with an unusual possession: a bird. She had fought all the way at Kabul airport, to bring the treasured little thing with her.
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– Xavier Chatel (@Xavier_Chatel_) October 5, 2021
“I promised him to take care of the bird”
The little girl was very sad when she learned that she could not take Juji, her bird, to France for “health reasons”, says the ambassador in a series of tweets. “She cried in silence. I was moved, he explains. I promised to take care of the bird at the residence, to feed it. She could visit him at any time and take him back. I will not forget his look of desperate gratitude. “
… Or so I thought. Until one day, the (female) manager of the French residence sent me this “Bonjour” that went straight to my heart.
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– Xavier Chatel (@Xavier_Chatel_) October 5, 2021
Juji now has a “girlfriend”, a dove who visits him every day. After being cuddled a lot, especially by the women of the embassy because he does not like men, the bird finally pronounced its first “hello” in French. “A moment that went straight to my heart”, testifies the ambassador.
“Today, from Paris, the owner of the bird, Alia, found me on Twitter. She was so happy to see her bird thus cared for, ”said Xavier Chatel. “Alia, your bird has become the embassy mascot, but it’s there for you, and if I can, I’ll take it personally to you someday.” “
