Posted on 23 February 2023
Guest blog from Stuart Batty, Executive Director, Rotary New Zealand
The world in modern times has never experienced such demand for humanitarian support from weather events, earthquakes, and conflict.
Beginning on 27 January through to 12 February when Cyclone Gabrielle struck, flooding has caused widespread havoc and personal tragedy across the upper North Island of New Zealand. A State of Emergency remains in place.
Across the other side of the world on 6 February 2023, a catastrophic and deadly 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and Western Syria. It occurred 34km west of the city of Gaziantep, causing massive damage and tens of thousands of fatalities. A large winter storm hampered rescue efforts, dropping snow on the ruins and bringing plummeting temperatures.
The earthquake was the strongest recorded in Turkey since 1999 and followed by numerous aftershocks. The number of confirmed deaths has surpassed 40,000 and expected to be significantly higher. The task that lies ahead in New Zealand, Turkey and Syria is massive as large numbers of homes have been destroyed and thousands of people displaced, in addition to immeasurable damage to land, businesses and public infrastructure.
As the real impact of these events is being determined, a year ago on 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. Currently winter has taken the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn parts of the country to another level. Eventually, as with all conflicts throughout history, common sense will prevail, but it will be decades before Ukraine recovers. Annually the United States of America is ravaged from fire, cyclones and tornadoes causing massive damage to the environment, property and loss of life.
At any one-time numerous conflicts are raging throughout the world. The generosity of giving by common people often themselves caught up in the event or conflict is immeasurable and only through it, are communities affected able to receive tangible support. How long will this world be able to sustain the current level of response given at least in Aotearoa New Zealand the aging demographic are the historical givers. Donor fatigue is surely on the rise given the rising number of appeals. The trillions of dollars spent on erroneous pursuits at local country level, bi and multi-lateral levels and interplanetary level in pursuit of unrealistic or questionable outcomes may be better spent on people future proofing the quality of life for the generations to come.
Rotary New Zealand is raising funds to provide financial assistance to those affected in the impacted flood areas in Aotearoa New Zealand.