In order to expand assistance to Ukrainian refugees, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation and CADIS signed a commitment on 30 April to work jointly in Poland and Ukraine. The aid will include the provision of basic necessities, food, medical services, temporary accommodation and psychological counselling with the aim of helping more than 40,000 people over a period of about five months.
During the signing ceremony, CADIS representatives and Master Jing Si Jingshe led the participants in a video conference from Taiwan, Poland and Rome to pray together for the war to stop and for the world to be free of disasters.
The Tzu Chi Foundation and CADIS have already collaborated to assist countries severely affected by the new COVID-19 epidemic. This new collaboration will jointly invest in the care of refugees in four areas of Warsaw, Poland's capital, including the largest train station in Warsaw West with service stations, as well as resettlement shelters, issuing a card for economic aid. Food, clothing, hygiene products and medical kits will be distributed in Lviv and Kharkov, Ukraine.
According to statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as of 29 April there were more than 5.46 million refugees who had fled Ukraine, of whom more than 3 million were in neighbouring Poland.
In addition to providing humanitarian aid services in three cities in Poland, Tzu Chi and CADIS work together to assist Ukrainian refugees with interfaith love.During the signing ceremony on the evening of 30 April, Fr. Aristelo Miranda, MI, CADIS Executive Director, and Po Wen Yen, CEO of Tzu Chi Charity Foundation signed the contract.
Fr. Jose Ignacio Santaolalla Saez, MI, CADIS President, emphasised that Buddha's mercy and God's love exist to save suffering people and that our core values are the same. The Russian-Ukrainian war is a man-made and unprecedented catastrophe.The most innocent people are the ones who suffer.We must confront and cooperate for the sake of the Ukrainians who suffer.
This is a great responsibility and mission and we will provide respect and quality assistance to Ukrainian refugees with gratitude and love.
Po Wen Yen, CEO of the Tzu Chi Charity Foundation, said that Tzu Chi people around the world have provided assistance to refugees in Turkey, Thailand, Jordan, Serbia and other places, and have collaborated with the Indian Spiritual Medicine Association in response to the new outbreak of COVID-19, assisting more than 50 churches and groups, and more than 750,000 people.
Yan Bowen said that we share a common mission to serve humanity and believe that interfaith cooperation will help refugees in all aspects. At the same time, he showed gratitude for the donations and support. The strength of one person may be small, but the support of people from all walks of life can help all those in need. The hope is that the war will end and that the displaced people can return to their homes as soon as possible and resume their lives in peace and security.
In his address, Venerable Jing Si Jingshe De Yuan mentioned the philosophy of Tzu Chi's founder, Venerable Cheng Yen, that ‘when people hurt, I feel pain, and when people suffer, I feel compassion’.
In conclusion, Fr Aris Miranda recalled the feeling of compassion that so many people in the world feel. Thoughts were turned to the clergy in Ukraine and their strength to continue serving in Ukraine with a strong and fearless spirit.
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