Gulf News
Nearly 5.47 million Ukrainians have fled their homes in two months of war. To put that in context, the total number of Syrian refugees in more than 10 years of war is 6.8 million.
Less than that, 6.3 million refugees, have left Afghanistan since 2001. Although the Palestinian refugee crisis remains, after 70 years, the most tragically persistent of all.
Hundreds of millions of Muslims will celebrate Eid on Monday. But as we indulge in the delights of this joyous occasion among family and friends, we remember those who had to flee the warmth and safety of their homes to save their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
We remember the struggling brethren in the refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan as well as the millions in shelters in Europe and Asia.
We remember the forever Palestinian refugees, the Syrian survivors and the innocent people of Ukraine whose predicament represents the ills of today’s world.
The UAE has been a great help for the less fortunate in the four corners of the world. This small, but massively generous nation has stepped up since day one to ease the hardship of Ukrainians who fled their homes and towns to safety in neighbouring states.
On Thursday, for example, an aircraft carrying 30 tonnes of food and medical supplies landed in Moldova, part of the UAE’s ongoing aid to Ukrainian displaced and refugees. UAE residents can help too. They can donate to the Red Crescent Society which works in close cooperation with the United Nations refugee agency to help alleviate some of the suffering of the less fortunate.
The joy of the Eid is about sharing in its core. We spread the joy by sharing the blessing. The Arab world probably has disproportionally the largest number of refugees in history – with its seemingly never ending conflicts.
The coronavirus pandemic, with its devastating impact on the global economy, has led many countries to reduce, or stop in some cases, their donations to the UN refugee agency, responsible for the delivery of essential needs to the displaced internally and those who live in refugee camps outside their countries.
Let us make this Eid a truly special one by giving to the UAE Red Crescent Society to spread the joy of Eid.
