October 1st, 2024 ― Doha, Qatar: Today morning, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) held a press conference at its headquarters to announce the launch of Warm Winter Campaign 2024-2025, under the slogan #TheirWarmthIsOurDuty.

Remarks by Faisal Mohamed Al-Emadi, Secretary-General of QRCS:

For the past two decades, QRCS has been launching an annual winterization campaign during this time every year. As the winter approaches, bringing cold weather, rain, snow, and storms, millions of refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and poor people around the world are left prone to hunger, disease, and limited resources.

Kindhearted and benevolent donors are invited to join us in fulfilling our brotherly and humanitarian duty, by contributing to this drive, which is aimed at providing food, shelter, heating, medical care, and other forms of aid, to help those in need weather the harsh winter with dignity.

At this point, I would like to remind you again of the bloody tragedy lived by the people of Gaza on a daily basis for almost one year now. Having been recurring over many decades, it has recently begun to expand seriously to other countries, such as Lebanon. This escalation means more victims and more suffering. That is why some projects under this campaign were allocated for Lebanon, where we have a representation office to facilitate the delivery of life-saving aid to as many victims and IDPs across the country as possible.

These facts show the importance of this campaign, and other humanitarian and relief interventions, to alleviate the suffering of affected people, try to meet their needs, and enhance their resilience and steadfastness. This noble deed will certainly be highly rewarded by Allah, as stated in the holy Quran: [And whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward].

Remarks by Mohamed Ahmed Al-Bishri – Director of Communication and Fundraising Division at QRCS:

In total, the campaign involves 40 winterization aid projects, with a target of 179,000 beneficiaries in 13 countries, as follows: Qatar, Palestine (Gaza and the West Bank), Yemen, Syria, Niger, Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Jordan, Albania, and Kosovo.

The interventions to be implemented by QRCS include a wide range of aid, such as winter clothes, blankets, mattresses, food parcels, drinking water, infant formula, medications, medical supplies, household furniture/appliances, heating oil, home construction/restoration, bread, and sponsorship of orphans.

The purpose of these interventions is to largely meet the winter needs of poor and displaced families in the targeted areas, with a special focus on students, patients, infants, orphans, and older persons. These projects will be implemented by our foreign offices in some host countries, in coordination with fellow National Societies and local partners, to ensure the effective and timely provision of aid, up to the highest international standards.

I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to the Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA), as well as the reporters attending this press conference. They can play a key role in promoting this campaign and encouraging public fundraising to help achieve the desired goals.

Donors can support this campaign through QRCS website (https//qrcs.qa/cc), donor service number (66666364), home donation collection number (33998898), and bank transfers, as follows:

• Masraf Al Rayan (QA18MAFR000000000011199980003)
• Dukhan Bank (QA37BRWA000000000200000094340)
• QNB (QA21QNBA000000000850020196062)
• QIB (QA51QISB000000000110575190014)
• QIIB (QA66QIIB000000001111126666003)

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About Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS)

Established in 1978, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is Qatar’s first humanitarian and volunteering organization that aims to assist and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without partiality or discrimination.

QRCS is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which consists of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 191 National Societies. It is also a member of several GCC, Arab, and Islamic organizations, such as the Islamic Committee of International Crescent (ICIC) and the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization (ARCO). In this legally recognized capacity, QRCS has access to disaster and conflict zones, thus serving as an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in its humanitarian and social efforts — a role that distinguishes it from other local charities and NGOs.

Both locally and internationally, QRCS has relief and development operations in numerous countries throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Central and South America. Its humanitarian mandates include disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and risk reduction. To mitigate the impact of disasters and improve the livelihoods of affected populations, QRCS provides medical services, food, water, shelter, and other needs of local communities. It is also active at the humanitarian diplomacy and advocacy front.

With the help of a vast network of trained, committed staff and volunteers, QRCS aspires to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity, inspired by the seven Fundamental Principles of humanitarian action: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.