Saudi announces solidarity day with Syrian children

Saudi Arabia will hold next week a “Day of Solidarity” for the thousands of Syrian children affected by the war in their country, the kingdom’s state-run agency said on Thursday.

“King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has instructed that a ‘day of solidarity’ with the children of Syria be organized at the national level [in order] to cover the needs of thousands of Syrian children,” the Saudi Press Agency said.

The Syrian conflict, now almost in its third year, has hit all strata of Syrian society, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children.

The objective of the solidarity day, according to the SPA, is to help cover the needs of the thousands of Syrian children living in tragic and difficult circumstances and help international efforts in improving their living conditions.

The Syrian war has led to one of the world’s most severe refugee crises, with millions of Syrians either internally displaced or hosted in neighboring states such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.

Prince Mohammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the general supervisor of the Saudi National Campaign to Support Brothers in Syria, has ordered that preparations for the day of solidarity be completed by Tuesday, Feb. 25, the SPA said.

The King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh will host an event starting 7:00 p.m. with participation at both the official and popular levels, the agency added.