Alexandria, Va. – Over the past 10 years, the world has seen and heard the devastation suffered by the people of Syria in the midst of brutal civil conflict. Few people however have personally felt the suffering first-hand.
In order to get a sense of their pain, Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, has launched the “Remember Syria Challenge,” a campaign that asks participants to empathize with the long-suffering people of Syria, many of whom are displaced and living in rough conditions as refugees.
The campaign asks people to spend 10 hours outdoors, whether during work, family time, or other activities. The point of the exercise is to get a semblance of the rough predicament millions of Syrians find themselves in by no longer having a permanent home to turn to.
“Over the past decade, the people of Syria have experienced an immeasurable amount of suffering,” said Sharif Aly, Chief Executive Officer of Islamic Relief USA. “The extent and scale of the hardship in Syria is further exacerbated by the ongoing global pandemic. We will continue to pray for an end to the conflict and will exert all of our humanitarian resources to ease the immense pain and suffering of the Syrian people. In an effort to raise awareness of the conflict and empathy towards the struggle of millions of Syrians, we invite everyone to join our “Remember Syria Challenge.” Our commitment to alleviating the tremendous challenges faced by the people of Syria remains undeterred and we will continue our efforts for as long as it remains necessary.”
Islamic Relief has long supported projects in Syria, including schools across the country’s northwest region. But even they have been severely impacted in all the strife. Still, the students have shown incredible resilience.
“A decade of suffering in Syria has devastated an entire generation of children. Schools should be safe places but many have been turned into bloodshed and rubble,” said Ahmed Mahmoud,* Syria Country Director for Islamic Relief. “The lasting impact of these attacks on schools is clear – many children still have nightmares, cannot concentrate and are scared when they sit in a classroom. But despite this, Syrian children are desperate to learn. We need to address the long-term consequences of this terrible crisis and make sure that children can learn in safety again. Now is the time the world must redouble its efforts to ensure a lasting solution to this crisis.”
In addition to the pledge, Islamic Relief continues to run campaigns intended to improve the lives of the Syrian people. For more information, visit irusa.org/middle-east/Syria.
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Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to provide relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world. Its programs benefit millions of people each year in more than 40 countries around the world, including in the United States.
Islamic Relief USA meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring group affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system. Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is also a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.