Among other things, Hungary will finance the reconstruction of a cultural center in Osmaniye, where there is a permanent exhibition of one of the greatest Hungarian music composers, Béla Bartók.Continue reading
The Hungarian government will send 47 tons of aid to the victims of the February earthquake in Syria, within the framework of the Hungary Helps program, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced on Tuesday.
He said that on Tuesday six trucks have set sail for the port of Trieste, where the cargo is loaded onto a ship and sent to Syria. The donation includes aggregators, warm clothing, medical protective equipment and other medical supplies to help the people in the difficult situation in the north-east of Syria to get through this period.
“Hungary is helping people in need around the world, and we are doing so again through the Hungary Helps program,” said Péter Szijjártó. He added that Hungary was concerned about the aftermath of the earthquake in Turkey and stood together as one for the success of the work of the Hungarian and other rescue teams.
Hungary provided more assistance, we sent several aid donations and supplies to Turkey. However, in addition to Turkey, the effects of the earthquake in northeastern Syria were also very dramatic,”
he recalled. “In addition, the extremely difficult political and security situation in this region of Syria makes sending relief here extremely difficult and the people living there are hardly receiving any international aid,” he pointed out.
Turkey was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in the early hours of 6 February, followed by several strong aftershocks. The disaster killed more than 50,000 people and left millions homeless after houses collapsed like house of cards. After the earthquake, international rescue teams from around the world arrived in Turkey to search for survivors. Hungarian search and rescue teams also assisted at the site and managed to rescue 35 survivors from the rubble.
Although the earthquake hit southern Turkey, its impact was also felt in northern Syria, where buildings also collapsed and countless people have lost their lives. The disaster left many people focused on helping Turkey, while Syrians were, and are, just as much in need of humanitarian aid. Hungary has also been helping the Syrian victims from the very beginning, with the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta providing mobile rescue stations to the affected area. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has given 50 million forints (EUR 132,000 in support to the Charity Service to install the stations. At the same time, a Syrian-Hungarian rescue team was working to rescue people from the rubble.
Featured photo via Facebook/Azbej Tristan
