Abdullah Al-Ghamdi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH – A large number of Saudis turned out with huge donations on Tuesday evening to support the national campaign to alleviate the suffering of the children displaced by war in Syria.



Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, Interior Minister and General Supervisor of the Saudi National Campaign to Support Brothers in Syria, inaugurated the Day of Solidarity with the Syrian children at Riyadh’s King Fahd Cultural Center.



The event was ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in response to the tragic humanitarian situation and the suffering of the people in Syria.



The opening ceremony was also attended by Riyadh Emir Prince Khaled Bin Bandar, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, several other princes, ministers, ambassadors, senior government officials, representatives of international organizations as well as business leaders, senior executives of companies, factories, and banks besides prominent philanthropists.



At the outset of the function, Prince Muhammad and Prince Khaled jointly opened the exhibition of the Campaign, featuring the major activities of the Campaign to support the people of Syria since the beginning of the war two years ago.



Prince Muhammad said the King has directed to observe the day at national level in order to meet the needs of thousands of Syrian children, who are living in tragic and difficult conditions, as well as to contribute to the initiatives of the international community in alleviating the suffering of the Syrian children displaced inside Syria and languishing in refugee camps in neighboring countries.



Meanwhile, Saad Al-Harthy, adviser to the minister of interior and chairman of the Campaign, said that a caravan of 60 trucks, carrying relief supplies, including food and medicine meant for the children of Syria, will leave Riyadh on Wednesday. The Campaign, which started two years ago, has so far spent more than SR708 million to help the afflicted people of Syria. 



He called for making donations in cash and kind through the Campaign’s account (No. SA 231 00000 201 88888 000100) at the National Commercial Bank or at its warehouses in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Al-Qasim and the Northern Border Region or through text messages to the telecom companies at 5565.