Tag Archives: Syrian refugees

A Plan for Helping Syrian Refugee Children

Last summer in the New York Times I wrote about the importance of school meals for children victimized by the war in Syria. We can do so much more for them, as we did for children in Europe and Asia affected by World War II.

Lebanon is one of the main countries where Syrians have fled to during the last five years of civil war. But once the refugees arrive they face all kinds of challenges just to have the basics of food and shelter. They have little or no resources.

Read my full commentary at The Huffington Post.

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Syria Needs Its Own Peace of Christmas Eve

Secretary of State John Kerry says, “the time is now to stop the killing in Syria and lay the groundwork for a government that the long-suffering people of that battered land can support.”

Ending the civil war in Syria can bring relief to the over 13 million Syrians who have suffered from food and medicine shortages. Peace in Syria can rally all the necessary power to defeat the terrorist group ISIS (Daesh) which has thrived because of the chaos of the war.

Clearly we all need peace in Syria. That would be the best holiday gift for the whole world.

See my commentary at The Huffington Post.

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Study shows drastic impact of food aid cuts to Syrians

The UN World Food Programme (WFP), in a report released today, says that food ration cuts quickly have a drastic impact on Syrian refugees. In September, WFP did an assessment on Syrian families in Jordan who were no longer receiving WFP assistance.

Read the full article at Examiner.

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New app helps WFP feed Syrian refugees

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) today announced a new app to raise funds to feed Syrian refugees. The ShareTheMeal app will be available for free download on Thursday, November 12 at stores worldwide.

Read the full article at Examiner.

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My Time Magazine Column on the Syrian Refugee Crisis

10372522_10152195008896491_2022604163270194960_nWe have seen the heartbreaking images of Syrians in desperate attempts to flee their war-torn homeland. All they want is to find safety in Europe, away from the conflict in the Middle East.

Thousands of Syrians each day are making this dangerous journey. They are tired, scared and hungry. What should the international community do? Start welcoming them.

See my full commentary at Time.com

Originally published at History News Network (HNN)

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Sun Sentinel Oped on Syria Refugee Crisis

We have seen the heartbreaking images of Syrians in desperate attempts to flee their war-torn homeland. All they want is to find safety in Europe, away from the conflict in the Middle East.

Thousands of Syrians each day are making this dangerous journey. They are tired, scared and hungry. What should the international community do? Start welcoming them.

Read the full article at the Sun Sentinel.

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MSJ visitor tells of Syria hunger tragedy

Professor Jeff Hillard’s English class at Mount St. Joseph University had a special visitor this past Saturday, coming from Egypt!

Dina El-Kassaby, a communications officer with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), spoke to the class via Skype. The WFP is the largest global hunger relief organization.

Read the full article at Cincinnati.com

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Helping Syrian refugee children with school meals

There is a silent crisis unfolding every day in Jordan and throughout the Middle East. It is another devastating effect of Syria’s civil war.

Syrian refugees are falling deeper into hunger. Children are suffering the most, being forced to work and beg to provide for their family.

Read the full article at The Jordan Times.

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My New York Times Letter on Syria Hunger Crisis

Cuts in food aid are leading Syrian refugees to take desperate measures.

This is a terrible situation for Syrian children to be forced to beg and work just to get a meal. But we can do something about it.

Please see my letter in today’s New York Times.

Also for historical perspective on fighting child hunger please see the video Ending Child Hunger: School Lunches for Kids Around the World.

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Lebanon: A hunger nightmare for Syrian refugees

Amal is a Syrian mother who fled with her children to Lebanon‘s Bekka Valley. This is the new home for Amal and so many other Syrians who were forced from their homes by the civil war.

These refugees managed to escape the violence. But now they are finding a new nightmare: hunger.

Read more at Examiner.

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