Sarajevo donates $25,000 to help rebuild Gaza

Sarajevo Mayor Ivo Komšić, Chairwoman of the Novi Grad Municipal Council Edina Gabela, Stari Grad Municipality Mayor Ibrahim Hadžibajrić, Assistant Mayor for Finance of Ilidža Municipality Azra Stambolić, together with Mohammad Hamad, President of the Association of the Palestinian Diaspora in BiH, signed a Protocol on cooperation for the joint implementation of a project to aid the reconstruction of Gaza at the City Administration premises today, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP). 

This project envisions assistance to Gaza residents in equipping homes of poor families with lighting (400 households). The project has a total value of $25,000, which amounts to 38,250 BAM. For the implementation of this project, the City of Sarajevo allocated 7,000 BAM, Novi Grad Municipality 15,000 BAM, and Stari Grad and Ilidža municipalities 10,000 BAM each. 

„With today's signing of this act, we have all pooled funds to help the victims in Gaza. The funds are directed towards lighting for households that have suffered extensive destruction. We in Sarajevo know what solidarity means and the scale of destruction. We too lived in darkness and had to rebuild our homes,“ emphasized Mayor Komšić.

Stari Grad Municipality Mayor Hadžibajrić and Chairwoman of the Novi Grad Municipal Council Edina Gabela stated in their addresses that the initiative to help the suffering people of Gaza originated two months ago from Novi Grad Municipality Mayor Semir Efendić. „This is our modest contribution. We in Sarajevo know what it means to live in darkness,“ said Municipal Council Chairwoman Edina Gabela.

Assistant Mayor for Finance of Ilidža Municipality Azra Stambolić expressed satisfaction that this municipality is also participating in this campaign. „We want the people in Gaza to feel at least a little light, both in their souls and in their homes,“ said Azra Stambolić.

On behalf of the people of Gaza and Palestine, President of the Association of the Palestinian Diaspora in BiH, Mohammad Hamad, thanked for this joint campaign by the City of Sarajevo and the city municipalities, emphasizing that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have so far paid 40,000 BAM to the humanitarian number HO Human-Appeal, based in Palestine, which will be used for the needs of Palestinian schoolchildren.