As the war in Syria enters its seventh year, many of us feel
helpless. We hear stories about children such as Fares, a 6-year-old
from Syria who has never seen a classroom in his life, and we wish there
was something we could do.
“My name is Fares. I do not know how to read or write. I only know how to draw the sky, the sea and the sun.”
But we must not give up hope. Together, we can take action. Together,
the Messengers of Humanity can show their solidarity with the Syrian
people.
In the following weeks, we will send you powerful
actions that you can take to make a difference for the people trapped in
Syria’s conflict and for the people who had to flee and leave
everything behind.
Remember, you are not alone! The UN and our partners in Syria are delivering aid
to millions of civilians, trying their best to reach as many people as
possible. And on 4 and 5 May, world leaders will come together in
Brussels to discuss the future of Syria and to find a lasting political
resolution.
Her are 4 actions you can take to support refugees & displaced people
1. Make sure that Syria is not forgotten – share on social media
UNICEF
released this moving video of 10-year-old Ansam, a blind girl who was
displaced by the violence in Syria. Her song is a message of hope to the
world. Children such as Ansam are not giving up and neither should we.
Please share!
Click
here to tweet: Do you wish there was something you could do to help
#Syria? Check out these 4 actions that you can take now http://bit.ly/4thingsyoucando
2. Encourage universities to offer scholarships for refugees
For
refugee students, not being able to continue their studies is
devastating. Help them by writing an e-mail or a letter to your own
university or a college near you and ask them to support a refugee. You
can also e-mail major universities in the USA, asking them to admit more
refugees.
Here is a handy template.
3. Support internally displaced people in Syria
We
hear a lot about refugees who seek safety outside Syria, but more than
six million Syrians are displaced within their own country. They are
often forced to flee at very short notice and have to leave everything
behind. Many of them find refuge with host families, but others have to
stay in overcrowded shelters. As the conflict continues, they are
struggling to find food and water and are in dire need of humanitarian
aid. If you want to help internally displaced people in Syria,
you can donate to the UN’s humanitarian fund in Syria.
Your donation will provide emergency food, water, shelter, medicine and
other life-saving assistance to those who need it most.
4. Help refugees to integrate into a new culture
Refugees
often feel lonely and isolated when they try to restart their life in a
new country. Could you see yourself mentoring a refugee family? Imagine
teaching the kids your language or helping the parents figure out the
public transport system. Even small gestures of friendship can mean a
great deal! A quick Google search can show you which groups and local
non-profits are active in your area and looking for volunteers.
That’s
it for today! Stay tuned, because over the following weeks and months
we’ll share more actions that you can take to make a difference.