KUWAIT: LAND OF GIVING
KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said “generous donations” for quake-hit people in Syria and Turkey during the “Kuwait by Your Side” campaign reflect the philanthropic nature of the people of Kuwait. Speaking to Kuwait TV on Saturday, Sheikh Salem thanked the individuals and corporations who contributed to the aid campaign.
The fundraising drive collected more than KD 20.7 million from nearly 130,000 donors. Media personality Abdullah Boftain, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Kuwait Times and Managing Partner of Kuwait News, participated in the livestreaming of the “Kuwait by Your Side” fundraising campaign on Kuwait TV. Zain, Kuwait’s leading digital service provider, pledged $10 million towards humanitarian efforts. Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi said in a phone-in to the campaign that Zain Group will donate $10 million to support people affected by the earthquake.
Boftain sent a message to journalists worldwide to avoid rushing to repost videos that violate the sanctity of the dead. He urged colleagues to maintain journalistic integrity, stressing that human beings are not material for a scoop.
Soon after the quake hit on Monday, the Kuwaiti leadership, government and people rushed to offer a hand to the brotherly peoples of Syria and Turkey, which comes as no surprise for Kuwait, the foreign minister pointed out. Sheikh Salem extolled HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for his timely direction to send aid to the quake-hit people in Syria and Turkey. He thanked HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah for their instructions to competent government agencies to spare no effort in sending the assistance and following up on the relief campaign.
The minister hailed as great the contributions to the campaign by Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdul-Rahman Al-Mutairi and Minister of Social and Community Development Affairs and Minister of State for Women and Childhood Affairs Mai Al-Baghli. Launched at noon on Saturday at the behest of the political leadership, the aid campaign “Kuwait by Your Side” continued until midnight. It was co-organized by the ministries of social affairs, foreign affairs and information, and covered live by Kuwait TV.
Kuwait’s ‘humanitarian’ and timely response to the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria deserves much praise, Turkey’s Ambassador Tuba Sonmez said on Sunday. Turkey is grateful for the copious amounts of Kuwaiti aid that has flowed into the regions affected by the quake, the envoy said during talks with Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) Chief Dr Hilal Al-Sayer, citing ongoing efforts to ensure that the aid effectively reaches those most in need.
Ankara will never forget Kuwait’s “humanitarian response” to the devastating earthquake that left thousands of people dead or injured, while causing immense destruction in its wake, she underlined. KRCS will be persistent in its efforts to ensure that aid reaches the Turkish and Syrian regions hardest hit by the earthquake, Dr Sayer emphasized. – Agencies
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