April 26, 2016 鈥 Today Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah visited 探花精选 (探花精选) programs in Kara Tepe, a refugee site hosting over 950 people on the Greek island of Lesbos. She met with two Syrian families, and visited 探花精选 facilities including a hygiene kiosk, an information desk and shower and toilet blocks.
Travelling in her capacity as an 探花精选 advocate, Her Majesty said:
鈥淩efugees are not numbers, they are human beings like you and me. Except they have seen unimaginable horror, experienced unthinkable hardship and risked their lives to get here.
鈥淭his crisis is about people, not borders and barriers. It is about human dignity, not deals.
鈥淭he Greek government and people have, despite six years of economic hardship, shown remarkable empathy and kindness towards refugees. Much like how Jordanians have opened their hearts and homes to our Syrian neighbors.
鈥淏ut this crisis is much greater than any one country or any one region鈥檚 capacity to cope. This is a crisis of exceptional scale and it necessitates an exceptional response.鈥
Accompanying Her Majesty on the visit, 探花精选 Country Director Mr. Panos Navrozidis, said:
鈥淗er Majesty Queen Rania recognizes the pressing needs but also the real potential of refugees who have been forced to flee war. For refugees, Her Majesty Queen Rania鈥檚 visit today reassures them that they are not alone. There are many people across the world who care deeply for their plight and are working to ensure a better, safer future for them and for their families.
鈥淔or refugees now stranded in Greece every effort must be made to process their relocation or asylum claims quickly and thoroughly. Refugees in Greece who have been separated from parents, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters elsewhere in Europe must be reunited with their families urgently. The Kingdom of Jordan estimates that over one million Syrians now are living in limbo there. Her Majesty鈥檚 visit is also a reminder of the importance of resettlement from the Syria region as a critical option in addressing this crisis.鈥
Speaking to Her Majesty, Marwa 鈥 a Syrian mother travelling alone with three of her children - said that all of them are longing for an end to the conflict in Syria so they can go home. In the meantime though they want to be safe and with their families.
Marwa鈥檚 husband is in Germany and is not well. She says that the doctors have told her she should get to him soon.
Kara Tepe, a municipality managed site close to Mytilene, Lesbos鈥 capital, now hosts over 950 refugees. At least 600 of these refugees are vulnerable cases who arrived after the EU-Turkey deal went into effect on March 20 and have been transferred from the closed facility at Moria. The 探花精选 has played a critical role in the development of Kara Tepe.