CLEVELAND — A candlelight vigil was held Sunday night at the Syrian Cultural Garden to raise awareness of earthquake victims in Syria.
 
Organizers describe the event as a gesture of support and reflection. 
 

What You Need To Know

  • The Syrian community in Northeast Ohio seeks to raise awareness about the challenges of gaining access to Syria in the aftermath of the Feb. 6 earthquake 

  • The death toll from the natural disaster that struck Turkey and Syria has surpassed 46-thousand people

  • The World Health Organization, an agency of the United Nations, is scaling up its response in the region

Seeking to raise awareness, there was a discussion about the significant challenges that surround efforts to obtain information and help earthquake survivors in Syria.

A petition was also made available to attendees. Before the natural disaster, Syria was already struggling from the fallout of civil war and political conflict in recent years. According to a leading international aid organization, the Norwegian Refugee Council, 95% of the rebel-held region in northwest Syria has not been searched for survivors.

The United Nations says it will continue to scale up its operations in Syria, acknowledging the challenges that rescue workers and volunteers have faced while attempting to deliver aid to the country following the massive earthquake that devastated people living near the Turkey-Syria border earlier this month.