Latest news and stories about humanitarian aid in Portugal for expats and residents.
The Global Sumud Flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli Navy on Wednesday night, about a thousand kilometres from the coast of Israel and the Gaza Strip.
As I previously recounted, in 1859 the Swiss Henry Dunant casually witnessed the inhumanity of the Battle of Solferino. Faced with the horrors he observed, he decided to recruit civilian volunteers from neighbouring villages to provide aid to the many thousands of wounded lying on the blood-soaked fields. He organised emergency relief, regardless of nationality or military rank, for both victors and the defeated. To this end, he managed to form improvised teams to transport the wounded to shelters to receive water, food, and treatment. The only concern was the reduction of suffering. Shortly after, in 1864, the humanitarian action led by Henry Dunant would serve as the basis for the Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field, which was initially signed by the official representatives of 12 countries, expressly accredited for that purpose. The aforementioned Convention, intended to protect wounded soldiers during combat, would soon come to be known as the First Geneva Convention. Curiously, Portugal was one of the first signatories, as King Luís de Bragança granted full powers to his delegate to actively participate in the discussions that took place in Geneva at the time. Thus, at the end of the proceedings, the Convention was signed on 22 August 1864 by the military doctor José António Marques. The approved text included only 10 articles which aimed, above all, to ensure the recognition of neutrality for military and field hospitals, which belligerents were required to recognise and respect. José António Marques (1822-1884) would subsequently found the Portuguese Red Cross and become its first leader. He contributed decisively to upholding the seven principles that underpin the Red Cross from its inception to the present day: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality. The Battle of Solferino, in addition to marking Dunant's life, was at the genesis of the approval of the Geneva Conventions. In 1901, Henry Dunant would be awarded the first Nobel Peace Prize, created that year. In a way, regarding multilateral relations between countries, we can consider that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is to war what the United Nations (UN) Security Council is to peacetime. However, the frequent and incomprehensible vetoes by its permanent members disrupt rather than build.
Paulo Rangel's visit had been in preparation for several days and coincides with the start of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.
Five thousand Ukrainian patients have been taken to 22 European countries under the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
Kidnapped by Wagner Group mercenaries, the humanitarian worker was held for nearly two years and sentenced to 10 years of forced labour. The Portuguese-Belgian national has been released and arrives in Lisbon this Tuesday night.
The humanitarian worker is reportedly already aboard a Portuguese Air Force plane after nearly two years in captivity.
Despite the conflict in the Middle East, the defence of Ukraine remains a “political, economic, military and humanitarian priority for Portugal,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated.
Caram, which means 'generosity' in Arabic, is the name of an association of Lebanese people in Portugal that has brought together eight restaurants to support humanitarian aid in Lebanon, a country that currently counts over one million displaced people.
The death toll from the current rainy season in Mozambique has risen to 296, with over one million people affected since October, according to an update from the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD). Data updated on March 22 shows seven additional deaths in 24 hours, with 1,015,904 people affected, 17 missing, and 351 injured. The rainy season continues until April. Previous events, including January floods and Cyclone Gezani in February, contributed significantly to the destruction of homes, schools, health units, and agricultural land. The INGD has activated 184 accommodation centres to support those displaced, while Portugal has sent over two tonnes of food and medical supplies to assist the victims.
The Portugal with UNHCR Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign to respond to the humanitarian crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East, where 885,000 displaced people have been recorded to date, said the organization's director.
Olen and Bohdan have been living in Portugal since September 2022, in a house provided to them by a humanitarian centre.
After almost a whole week without power or network in Vieira de Leiria, in Marinha Grande, the parish council has “finally managed to communicate with the outside” and centralise the distribution of food and hygiene supplies. The parish council president, Álvaro Cardoso, says that, at the moment, “the main need is labour”.
The Diocesan Cáritas of Leiria is monitoring the emergency situation in the region, where electricity, water supply and communications outages persist, affecting a large number of families and institutions. As an urgent measure, it is appealing for donations of tarpaulins and plastic sheeting to help those whose roofs and coverings were damaged by Storm Kristin.
The Aga Khan Organisation collected around 20 tonnes of essential items in Lisbon to send to Mozambique following floods that have struck the country since October and have already affected around 700,000 people.
A grandmother, 15 mothers and 18 children, victims of the war in Ukraine, arrived in Lisbon on Saturday.
A group of mothers and children who are relatives of Ukrainian soldiers killed or missing in action landed at Lisbon airport on Saturday as part of a humanitarian mission in which Portugal will host them for three weeks, providing support for emotional rehabilitation.
