Aid campaign launched in Istanbul to help Moroccan earthquake victims

ISTANBUL

A relief campaign was launched Saturday in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul to help Morocco in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake last week.

Abbas ez-Zaim, president of the Moroccan-Turkish Friendship Association, said at a news conference at the Taksim Mosque Culture and Art Center that his group is trying to support Moroccans to overcome difficulties.

“We are just trying to be an occasion for benefactors. Let's become one,” he said at the launch of the charity campaign in cooperation with the Moroccan-Turkish Friendship Association and the Arab Association based in Türkiye.

"We have collected a large amount of donations in four warehouses,” he said as he thanked everyone who made donations.

"We should help our Arab brothers and sisters, and try to build bridges with the Arab people," said Metin Turan, president of the Arab Association.

He said the Moroccan-Turkish Friendship Association and the Arab Association organized the collection together. "We are also carrying out various activities to support those affected by the earthquake," he said.

Nadya Haysun, Social Services officer of the Moroccan-Turkish Friendship Association, said assistance was received from Moroccans in Türkiye, the Arab community, non-governmental organizations in Türkiye and Turkish citizens.

She said the group is working in coordination with associations in Morocco and indicated that a wide range of relief materials, from food to hygiene products, have been collected to meet the needs of victims.

About 3,000 people were killed and 6,125 injured when a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Morocco on Sept. 8. At least 50,000 houses have completely or partially collapsed.

The quake was the strongest to hit the north African country in a century, according to Morocco’s National Geophysical Institute.

*Writing by Merve Berker