Fund raising events will span 33 days to remember days under attack CAIRO: Expressing solidarity in the tragic events that occurred in Lebanon over the summer, the entire community of the American University in Cairo (AUC) organized a Day for Lebanon event to raise funds for Lebanese victims. The event included an entertainment program held at Ewart Hall, featuring performances of Lebanese songs and the Dabka (traditional Lebanese dance). Student and administrative representatives gave speeches, while students collected donations. T-shirts and other Lebanon-marked items were sold in the fountain area at AUC. "We wanted to send a message to the Lebanese people, telling them that they have friends who care about them at AUC. All segments of the university wanted to come together in this event, to raise funds and provide relief and support to Lebanon, says AUC President David Arnold. AUC Provost Tim Sullivan says, "When something like this happens [the Lebanese conflict], people at AUC can not sit and say, 'Oh!' The worst thing is to do nothing. He adds that there will be many other events over the coming 33 days, the number of days that Lebanon was under attack, all of which will have the same purpose of supporting Lebanon through raising awareness, funds, collecting materials and providing aid. All donations and funds will be delivered to Lebanon through the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. Egyptian actor and AUC alumnus Amr Waked hosted the event. He says there are about 75,000 Lebanese children who have suffered greatly in the war. "Some lost their parents and others lost schools and were displaced. They had no other choice. But most of us here have the choice, so it's your choice to help them financially or sentimentally, says Waked. Ahmed Fath El-Bab, president of the student activity Help Club, says the event is a part of the Nosra Campaign, a campaign organized at AUC to support Palestine and Lebanon by raising funds. He adds that the campaign's goal is to collect LE 1 million to be donated to the Lebanese victims. "There will be an AUC delegation that will travel to Lebanon on Sunday, Oct. 18, to deliver the aid by themselves, says Fath El-Bab, adding that they aim to collect food, donations, and material and plan to build a hospital in Sayda. Hanal Nayel, associate director for communications at AUC, says the students came up with the idea to show solidarity with the Lebanese people in recognition of the humanitarian events that unfolded in Lebanon over the summer. She adds that students have done almost all the work. "ÁUC students are very active and the administration supports its students in every significant thing they do, says Nayel.
