Syrian activists and civil society organizations in Syria and France launched the “Loyalty to Idlib” Campaign, scheduled to begin on September 26.
According to Al-Watan, head of the French association, the Syrian-French Council, Ali al-Zarqan emphasized that the campaign complements the participation of Syrians in previous campaigns, “Absheri Ya Hawran,” Our Countryside Deserves, and the Homs Campaign, in which Syrians in France contributed according to their capabilities. These campaigns reflect the collective feeling and constructive and collaborative work that we have lacked over the past decades.
Zarqan noted that the campaign is being conducted in direct coordination with the campaign’s management in Idlib. He notes this cooperation between Syrians inside the country and the Syrian community in France reflects the spirit of cross-border solidarity and confirms that Idlib is not alone, but has sons and friends everywhere. He clarified Idlib today stands at a crossroads between hope and collapse. After years of scarcity, it is in dire need of comprehensive support across various sectors.
Basmati Association, registered in the European Union (EU), will supervise the campaign. The association has been present since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution, and have worked on three axes over the past years. The number of orphans registered on its lists has reached 3,000, and today it is working on the restoration of infrastructure and rapid response relief.
Head of the Association Waddah al-Siddiq, asserted: “The association is counting on broad participation from Syrians and Arab brothers across the EU, after the donation link was distributed, so that we can all be loyal to Idlib, which embraced the Syrians and marked the beginning of their dream of victory over the former regime.”
Siddiq considered that the expectations of participation in the fund-raising campaign are high, due to what he called confidence in the Syrians and their “Arab brothers” who generously contributed in the past. He asserts that everyone has a desire to give back to Idlib. Saying, “we don’t have specific numbers to announce but we have great hopes.”
The goal of local initiatives and campaigns is to consolidate and strengthen a sense of solidarity and citizenship among Syrians. Syrian communities urgently need infrastructure and service projects related to basic services such as health, education, and water, which provide emergency solutions to meet the most important needs of the population.
