“Our priority is to provide special assistance to children and families affected by the wildfires”
Statement by the United Nations Children’s Fund Office in Greece regarding the wildfires raging in the country.
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ATHENS 26 JULY 2023 - UNICEF Greece Country Office is expressing its deepest sorrow for the unfathomable natural disaster that Greece is currently facing because of the wildfires raging in the country and is willing to provide support to children and families afflicted by these devastating events.
The UNICEF team in Greece is keeping constantly in touch with the authorities and the local entities for the provision of material and psychosocial support to the children and their families afflicted by the wildfires in the country.
“Currently, an unprecedented disaster is taking place in Greece as wildfires continue to rage in the country, with unfathomable material and psychological impact on the children and families experiencing these extreme events”, said Ghassan Khalil the UNICEF Representative in Greece.
“The climate crisis is predominately a child rights crisis. Special assistance to children should be a priority in all affected areas, as well as in host communities, including targeted psychosocial activities for children”, he added.
"Our thoughts are with the firemen and the volunteers at the first-line response as well with families and people afflicted by this total disaster”, he also stated.
In the context of UNICEF’s response to the reinforcement of the authorities and local entities’ efforts and in collaboration with its partners, the Organization is in readiness to:
- Provide and distribute basic necessity items to areas hit by wildfires.
- Support the children by providing them with creative activities and care.
- Distribute instructional materials to teachers and parents/caregivers for the provision of psychological support to children afflicted by the wildfires.
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The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child around the world. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, and all children, everywhere.
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