Humanitarian charity Human Appeal and advocacy organisation the Council for Arab and British Understanding (Caabu) recently co-hosted a parliamentary event to observe the sixth anniversary of the Syrian conflict.
Other co-hosts included Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, Labour Peer Lord Dubs and Syrian filmmaker and journalist Wa’ad al-Kateab.
The event, which was held in the River Room at the House of Lords, featured the launch of a report by Human Appeal, international aid charity, on the crisis in Syria.
A reminder why we must make every effort
Speaking at the beginning of the evening, the chair of the event and director of Caabu Chris Doyle said that the event should not be needed but serves as a reminder of why “we must make every effort, every effort, to end this conflict; achieve a political solution; and ensure that aid can and is delivered to all Syrians”.
Caabu’s Syria programme, which has been running since 2011, works to create awareness and understanding of the events in the country and highlight human rights, international law and humanitarian issues. The programme is important in informing parliamentary debate in the UK.
Cannot give up
In a moving speech, Human Appeal CEO Othman Moqbel described how the organisation is helping to make a difference to the people affected by the civil war, which has killed 465,000 Syrian people and displaced over 12 million more.
He said: “In the North of Syria, people rely on Human Appeal for their daily bread. We supply flour to bakeries across the region. Bread is the main staple in the Syrian diet and we are able to deliver it to 200,000 Syrians every month.”
According to Othman, the charity is also providing maternity, gynaecological and paediatric healthcare to 20,000 Syrians every month at its Al-Imaan hospital in Aleppo.
He spoke passionately about the charity’s determination to go on helping those affected by the crisis.
“We continued even when our hospital and some of the schools we help run were the target of air strikes. We never gave up. Syrians need healthcare, Syrians need an education. We cannot give up on them,” he said.
The charity continues to provide aid to impoverished Syrians living without clean water, sustenance, medicine and appropriate clothing. Donors can support the organisation in its efforts by pledging money to its various Syrian appeals online or by getting involved with the Human Appeal events that are held regularly.
