Caritas Syria
{{Short description|Syrian Catholic charitable and humanitarian aid organisation}}
{{Infobox organization
| name =
| full_name = Caritas Syria
| native_name = كاريتاس سوريا
| native_name_lang = ARA
| logo = Caritas Syria Logo Arabic.png
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| established = {{start date and age|1954}}
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| purpose = humanitarian, development, advocacy
| location_city = Damascus{{cite web |url= https://www.caritas.org/where-caritas-work/middle-east-and-north-africa/syria/ |title= Where We Work: Syria |website= caritas.org |access-date= 6 July 2024}}
| location_country = Syria
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| region_served = Syria
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| language = Arabic, English
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| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Jean-Abdo Arbach{{cite web |url= https://www.catholicregister.org/item/32921-call-goes-out-to-lift-syrian-sanctions |title= Call goes out to lift Syrian sanctions | author= Michael Swan |date= 2 April 2021 |website= The Catholic Register |access-date= 6 July 2024}}
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| affiliations = Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Middle East and North Africa
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| website = {{URL|https://www.caritas-sy.com}}
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| formerly = Commission commune de bienfaisance
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Caritas Syria (Arabic: {{Lang|ar|كاريتاس سوريا|rtl=yes}}, French: {{Lang|fr|Caritas Syrie}}) is a Syrian Catholic charitable and humanitarian aid organisation.
It is a member of the global Caritas Internationalis confederation and of the regional Caritas Middle East and North Africa.
History and work
Caritas Syria was founded by the Council of the heads of the Catholic Churches in Syria in 1954, at the time of the Syrian Republic.{{cite web |url= https://migrants-refugees.va/country-profile/syria/ |title= Country Profiles Syria |website= migrants-refugees.va |access-date= 6 July 2024}} It was previously known by the French name {{Lang|fr|Commission commune de bienfaisance}} ({{Gloss|Joint Charity Commission}}).{{cite web |language= French |url= https://sana.sy/fr/?p=255127 |title= Mémorandum d’entente entre le ministère de l’Éducation et /Caritas/ pour réhabiliter les écoles |date= 18 February 2022 |website= Syrian Arab News Agency |access-date= 6 July 2024}}{{cite web |url= https://www.melkitecouncil.com/Catholics/h-b-patriarch-youssef-i-absi-patriarch-of-antioch-all-the-east-alexandria-jerusalem-2017/ |title= H.B. Patriarch Youssef I Absi, Patriarch of Antioch & all the East, Alexandria & Jerusalem (2017…) |date= 24 July 2020 |website= melkitecouncil.com |access-date= 6 July 2024}} For a long time, the level of activities of the organisation was relatively limited and localised.{{cite web |url= https://darpe.me/implement-entries/caritas-syria/ |title= Caritas Syria Overview |website= Development Assistance Roadmap Portal in the Middle East |access-date= 6 July 2024}} In the 1990s, Caritas Syria provided aid to the many Iraqi refugees arriving in the country in the aftermath of the Gulf War.{{cite web |url= https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Caritas-Syria:-The-country-risks-exploding-and-could-even-overwhelm-Europe-36897.html |title= Caritas Syria: The country risks exploding and could even overwhelm Europe |date= 3 September 2016 |website= Asia News |access-date= 6 July 2024}} Similar support was given following the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and during the Iraqi civil war (2006–2008).{{cite web |language= French |url= https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/syrie-aide-aux-500-familles-irakiennes-r%C3%A9fugi%C3%A9es |title= Syrie: aide aux 500 familles irakiennes réfugiées |date= 15 September 2003 |website= ReliefWeb |access-date= 6 July 2024}}{{cite web |url= https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/development-and-peace-raising-concern-about-huge-numbers-people-sudan-and-iraq |title= Development and Peace is raising concern about the huge numbers of people from Sudan and Iraq displaced by war |date= 4 June 2007 |website= ReliefWeb |access-date= 6 July 2024}}{{cite web |language= French |url= https://www.cath.ch/newsf/apic-interview-270/ |title= Einsiedeln: Rencontre avec le patriarche melkite grec-catholique Gregorios III Laham |date= 23 April 2007 |website= cath.ch|access-date= 6 July 2024}}
With the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Caritas Syria significantly scaled up its work across the country, quickly becoming an important humanitarian actor. The organisation provided relief in the form of food and basic items and was active in the sectors of education, support for the elderly, psycho-social support for children, housing assistance, and repairs of houses damaged by the fighting.
In 2015, Caritas provided support to over 205,000 persons in Syria. This support included distributing food and other essential items for everyday use, such as clothes, dishes, blankets, and cleaning agents. Additionally, Caritas offered assistance with rent payments and medical needs, along with education for children and help for the elderly. In general, Caritas Syria provides assistance both in the form of in-kind distributions and of Cash and Voucher Assistance.
A Caritas employee was killed during a bombing of Aleppo in April 2015; a Caritas volunteer died during another bombing the following year.{{cite web |language= French |author= Raphaël Zbinden |url= https://www.cath.ch/newsf/syrie-un-operateur-de-caritas-tue-a-alep/ |title= Syrie: Un opérateur de Caritas tué à Alep |date= 9 April 2015 |website= cath.ch |access-date= 6 July 2024}}{{cite web |language= French |author= Raphaël Zbinden |url= https://www.cath.ch/newsf/syrie-un-benevole-de-caritas-tue-a-alep/ |title= Syrie: Un bénévole de Caritas tué à Alep |date= 16 February 2016 |website= cath.ch |access-date= 6 July 2024}}
After the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, Caritas Syria also mobilised quickly its network of staff and volunteers to provide help through 71 centres in the most affected area, notably Aleppo and Latakia. They distributed thousands of food packages and hygiene kits and more than 10,000 blankets. Caritas Syria also contributed to the reconstruction of 20 schools and 330 individual shelters. {{cite web |language= French | url= https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/seisme-en-syrie-et-en-turquie-un-dintervention-humanitaire-de-caritas-et-lappel-ne-pas-tomber-dans-le-silence |title= Séisme en Syrie et en Turquie : un an d’intervention humanitaire de Caritas et l’appel à ne pas tomber dans le silence |date= 6 February 2024 |website= reliefweb.int |access-date= 6 July 2024}}
Despite being a Catholic organisation, Caritas Syria serves all persons independently of their religious or political affiliations. The organisation works with various religious communities and cooperates with Shiite and Sunnite humanitarian organisations. Caritas Syria's work has been funded by UN agencies such as UNHCR and other member organisations of the Caritas Internationalis confederation.
Caritas Switzerland also maintains a country office in Damascus and cooperates with Caritas Syria.{{cite web |url= https://www.caritas.ch/en/syria-crisis/ |title= Syria and neighbouring countries |website= Caritas Switzerland |access-date= 6 July 2024}}
Presidents
- 2001–?: Youssef Absi
- 2010–2018: Antoine Audo, Chaldean Eparchs of Aleppo{{cite web |language= Italian |url= https://www.savonanews.it/2018/10/02/amp/argomenti/val-bormida/articolo/cairo-montenotte-venerdi-12-ottobre-lincontro-con-il-mons-antoine-audo-vescovo-caldeo-di-aleppo.html |title= Cairo Montenotte, venerdi 12 ottobre l'incontro con il Mons. Antoine Audo, Vescovo caldeo di Aleppo e della Siria | date= 2 October 2018 |website= Savona News |access-date= 6 July 2024}}
- Currently: Jean-Abdo Arbach, archeparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Homs, Hama and Yabroud
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.caritas-sy.com}}
{{Caritas Internationalis Member Organisations}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Charities based in Syria
Category:Social justice organizations
Category:Organizations established in 1954