UNHCR and Goldman Sachs Gives today announce a partnership to provide immediate assistance to the refugee crisis in Europe

LONDON, 10 SEPTEMBER 2015: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Goldman Sachs Gives today announce a partnership to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Europe.

The partnership will provide immediate support for the refugees who have arrived on the shores of the Mediterranean, including in Italy, Greece, Malta and the Balkans and will also be directed towards the refugees in and around Syria, including in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.

£2 million will be directed towards providing supplies for thousands of families including Survivor Packs, Emergency food packs, secure accommodation for extremely vulnerable children and temporary medical facilities.
Following UNHCR’s initial response plan entitled Special Mediterranean Initiative Plan, a new Emergency Appeal has been launched for affected countries in the European region in light of the ongoing refugee and humanitarian crisis. The appeal outlines proposed strategies and activities and corresponding financial requirements up to the end of 2016, in order to provide relevant support, operational responses and protection measures in affected countries in Europe, in respect of assessed needs.
Further details can be found here.

Media contacts:

Goldman Sachs please contact: Fiona Laffan on +44 (0) 207-774-9649 or [email protected]
UNHCR please contact: Andrej Mahecic, +44 2037618091/+44 7880230985 or [email protected] William Spindler, +41 22 739 8956/+41 79 217 3011 or [email protected]
Elisabetta Lurcev, +45 20554954 or [email protected]

About Goldman Sachs Gives

Goldman Sachs Gives is a donor-advised fund through which Goldman Sachs and its current and retired senior employees can recommend grants to qualifying non-profit organizations globally. Since 2010, over $1 billion has been granted from Goldman Sachs Gives to more than 4,000 charities in over 45 countries.

About Goldman Sachs

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.

About UNHCR

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. It also has a mandate to help stateless people. In more than six decades, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives. Today, a staff of some 9,300 people in more than 127 countries continues to help some 54.9 million people.
Learn more at www.unhcr.org and www.facebook.com/UNHCR

INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE http://donate.unhcr.org/international/europe-crisis/

UK WEBSITE http://donate.unhcr.org/gbr/europe-crisis