São Paulo – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will launch a fundraising campaign next Monday (30th), in São Paulo, for the purchase of medical equipment to assist 5 million Palestinians currently living as refugees. The campaign launch will be attended by the UNRWA commissioner general, Filippo Grandi, and will take place at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm. The event will be open to the general public.
At this time, there are 5 million Palestinians living in refugee camps in their own territory, i.e. Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. “The refugees have various health issues,” says Riad Younes, the Surgical Oncology coordinator at Hospital São José and Arab Brazilian Chamber Marketing vice president.
“Ultrasound and diabetes control equipment will be purchased. The funds will also be invested in developing a system to interconnect healthcare centres at different camps. Refugees change countries, and the system will be designed to prevent their medical records from being lost, so their medical conditions are known and their treatments are not interrupted,” the physician explains.
According to Younes, R$ 1.1 million (roughly US$ 492,000 at current exchange rates) are needed in order for the equipment to be purchased. “This is the minimum amount to cater to 5 million refugees,” he says. The campaign will last two months, and donations will be accepted in a specifically set up United Nations bank account. Those willing to help may make their contribution to Citibank, bank number 745, branch 008, current account 96910550.
At the end of the campaign, a closing event will be held at which the funds raised will be passed on to the UNRWA. Later on, according to Younes, the spending of the donated money will be accounted for.
Brazilian aid
The fundraising campaign to provide medical aid to Palestinian refugees is not taking place in Brazil by chance. Since the early 2000s, Younes has worked to take Brazilian medicine to Middle East countries. The idea for the campaign arose during one of his trips to the region.
“I had several meetings with the UNRWA. The Arab Brazilian Chamber maintains various health assistance actions. These actions are also backed by the Brazilian government and by several Brazilian hospitals,” the physician explains.
Apart from the campaign launch in São Paulo, Grandi has other appointments in Brazil, including meetings in Brasília, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre.
On October 1st and 2nd, in Brasília, the commissioner-general is expected to meet with several authorities, including the Brazilian vice president Michel Temer; the Ministry of External Relations’ undersecretary to Africa and the Middle East, Paulo Cordeiro; the minister in chief to the Human Rights Secretariat of the Brazilian Presidency, Maria do Rosário; and officials from the Congress and Senate’s foreign relations committees.
On Wednesday (3rd), in Porto Alegre, Grandi will meet with the governor of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Tarso Genro, and pay a visit to a camp of the Brazilian Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST, in the Portuguese acronym), among other activities.
On September 4th, Grandi will travel to Rio de Janeiro, where he will administer a lecture on the Syrian conflict and its impact on Palestinian refugees at the Pontifical Catholic University (PUC). At 11:30 am, the commissioner-general will summarize his trip to journalists at a press conference at the United Nations’ Information Centre in Brazil (UNIC Rio).
Service
Launch of fundraising campaign to the benefit of the UNRWA
Featuring the UNRWA commissioner-general Filippo Grandi
Date: September 30 from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Address: Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce
Avenida Paulista, 326, 11th floor – São Paulo
Free and discount parking on Rua Teixeira da Silva, 204
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
