By Mehdi Al-Nemr
ROME, March 18 (KUNA) -- The Kuwaiti ambassador to Italy and the UN World Food Programme chief launched a photograph exhibition which highlights Kuwait's humanitarian role in cooperation with the UN body on Syria.
Cutting the ribbon was ambassador Sheikh Ali Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin for the exhibition entitled: "Kuwait and the World Food Programme: A Humanitarian Partnership in Support of the Syrian People in Crisis." The event comes two weeks ahead of a third international aid-pledging conference hosted by Kuwait for 3.9 million refugees and 12.2 million people in need of emergency assistance in Syria due to the fierce ongoing conflict in the country.
The ambassador, in a speech, thanked the WFP for its coordinative efforts alongside Kuwait on both of their humanitarian goals.
The exhibition reflects the depth of the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on effective humanitarian work that touches the lives of the Syrian people, who are suffering greatly due to the enormous ordeal.
He heaped praise on the WFP for its hard work in delivering Kuwaiti aid to the victims of the crisis under the directions of the UN's Humanitarian Leader, His Highness the Amir.
The ambassador proposed that the exhibition be held once more in Kuwait City in tandem with the international donors' event on March 30.
For her part, Cousin expressed the WFP's immense gratitude for the generosity of His Highness the Amir, which deservedly earned him the title of Humanitarian Leader he was bestowed by UN chief Ban Ki-moon.
Due to His Highness' leading role, she said, millions of women, men and children all around the world are receiving the assistance they require in order to not only stay alive but to also rebuild their lives and wellbeing.
She praised the last two Syrian donors conferences, which collectively helped raise USD 3.9 billion in aid pledges, as two of the most successfully-held pledging events ever.
Both events in 2013 and 2014 raised USD 1.5 billion and USD 2.4 billion respectively.
Kuwait generously donated a total of USD 800 million over the course of the two events, USD 300 million in the first and USD 500 in the second.
Meanwhile, Cousin said that, over the past two years, Kuwait has generously contributed USD 77 million to the WFP efforts in particular, either inside Syria or other nations.
This has allowed her agency to offer vital relief, hope and a smile to the poorest and most hungry of Syrians inside their country and in others neighbouring - around six million. (end) mn.sd