- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Saudis pledge aid during solidarity day for Syrian children
- Date: 26th February 2014
- Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (FEBRUARY 25, 2014) (REUTERS) PEOPLE ARRIVING AT 'SOLIDARITY DAY WITH SYRIAN CHILDREN', BANNER BANNER WITH PICTURE OF PRINCE MUHAMMAD BIN NAYEF, MINISTER OF INTERIOR, READING (ARABIC) 'SOLIDARITY DAY WITH SYRIAN CHILDREN' PRINCE MUHAMMAD BIN NAYEF CUTTING RIBBON TO OPEN CAMPAIGN VARIOUS OF PRINCE MUHAMMAD AND PRINCE KHALID BIN BANDAR , GOVERNOR OF RIYADH KISSING SYRIAN CHILDREN VARIOUS OF TV MONITOR IN SOLIDARITY EXHIBITION WITH WRITING (ARABIC) READING: 'SOLIDARITY DAY WITH SYRIAN CHILDREN' VARIOUS OF SOLIDARITY EXHIBITION WITH PICTURE OF SYRIAN REFUGEES CHAIRMAN OF SAUDI COMMITTEES AND RELIEF CAMPAIGNS , SA'AID AL-HARTHI, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CHAIRMAN OF SAUDI COMMITTEES AND RELIEF CAMPAIGNS, SA'AID AL-HARTHI, SAYING: "This campaign continues giving aid to the Syrian brothers, who are suffering too much. Whether the refugees in Jordan or Lebanon or Turkey or at home. Thanks be to God, this campaign was able to offer a lot in the field of shelter, food, health, education and in the other fields that can contribute to the support of our Syrian brothers." TWO SYRIAN RESIDENTS IN SAUDI ARABIA HOLDING PAPER READING (ARABIC) 'SUPPORT YOUR CHILDREN AND SONS IN SYRIA' CLOSE OF PAPER READING (ARABIC) 'SUPPORT YOUR CHILDREN AND SONS IN SYRIA' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN ENGINEER, ALA'A, SAYING: "I would like to send a message to all the Arab nations and governments and the relief organisations and the media to prevent the loss of a generation of Syrian children, everyone must stand with them and support them by all means, especially the issue of education." VARIOUS OF SOLIDARITY MEMBERS RECEIVING DONATIONS FROM DONOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LOAY SARTAWI, PALESTINIAN DONOR LIVING IN RIYADH, SAYING: "Certainly that every person like me who has children is thinking about how they live (Syrian children) without blankets or clothes or anything other than what we see of scenes of slaughter and killing, even food may be expired or damaged, if we could give them...it's possible that the need more than clothing and such things." VARIOUS OF MEMBER OF SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE HELPING SAUDI DONOR BRINGING BAGS OF CLOTHES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAUDI DONOR, FAHAD AL-ABDULLAH, SAYING: "I knew about the campaign through social media networking sites, the first thing I read the news, immediately I sped up and I came to show my support with the children of Syria, may god help them, god willing." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF THE SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE, ABDULRAHMAN AL-HAKBANI, SAYING: "I am a volunteer here to help my brothers in Syria, and to support the children, as we know that this campaign is a solidarity campaign with children of Syria, and I see they're the ones who are in need of the most help on the globe at this time.'' VARIOUS OF TRUCKS READY TO BE SENT TO SYRIAN CHILDREN REFUGEES IN JORDAN, LEBANON AND TURKEY ENGLISH WRITING ON TRUCK READING: 'The Saudi national campaign support for brothers in Syria' SLOGANS IN ARABIC READING: 'The good in my nation, who would bring back my smile-we are with you - Solidarity day with Syrian children'
- Embargoed: 13th March 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA1XGQ39QS5SD4J7N7K5WTJWJ15
- Story Text: A 'Day of Solidarity with Syrian children' started in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (February 25) evening after Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz called for a response to the worsening humanitarian situation and the suffering of the people of Syria.
Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, Minister of Interior officially opened the solidarity day and the fund for financial and in kind donations to help Syrian children.
The Syrian conflict, now almost three years old, has hit all areas of Syrian society, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children.
The objective of the solidarity day, according to chairman of the Saudi Committee and Relief campaigns Sa`aid Al-Harthi, is to help cover the needs of the thousands of Syrian children living in difficult circumstances and help international efforts in improving their living conditions whether in exile or at home.
"This campaign continues giving aid to the Syrian brothers, who are suffering too much. Whether the refugees in Jordan or Lebanon or Turkey or at home. Thanks be to God, this campaign was able to offer a lot in the field of shelter, food, health, education and in the other fields that can contribute to the support of our Syrian brothers," he said.
One supporter said the campaign was vital to prevent a lost generation of Syrian children.
"I would like to send a message to all the Arab nations and governments and the relief organisations and the media to prevent the loss of a generation of Syrian children, everyone must stand with them and support them by all means, especially the issue of education," said Ala'a.
The Syrian civil war has led to a severe refugee crises, with millions of Syrians either internally displaced or hosted in neighbouring states such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.
Solidarity committee members stood outside almost every big supermarket in various Saudi cities to accept donations from Saudis and foreigners.
"Certainly that every person like me who has children is thinking about how they live (Syrian children) without blankets or clothes or anything other than what we see of scenes of slaughter and killing, even food may be expired or damaged, if we could give them...it's possible that the need more than clothing and such things," said Loay Sartawi, a Palestinian living in Riyadh, who donated several bags full of clothes.
Another committee member, Abdulrahman al-Hakbani, said:
"I am a volunteer here to help my brothers in Syria, and to support the children, as we know that this campaign is a solidarity campaign with children of Syria, and I see they're the ones who are in need of the most help on the globe at this time.''
The fighting has killed more than 140,000 people - more than 7,000 of them children - according to the Britain-based, pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and is destabilising the country's neighbours. Half the population have fled their homes.
About 3,300 people have been killed in fighting between rebel factions trying to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since the start of the year, the group said on Wednesday.
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