Giro555: Together in action for Ukraine

During extreme circumstances, the 11 biggest aid organisations in the Netherlands come together to collect donations under the banner Samenwerkende Hulporganisaties (Dutch for Cooperating Aid Organizations), also known as Giro555, in reference to the collective bank account number that ends in 555. In the past this has, for example, happened in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake, as well as during the Syrian Civil war in 2013, and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

On 28 February, Giro555 started collecting donations for Ukraine. The donated funds will be used to provide food, shelter, medical care and clean drinking water to Ukrainian refugees. On 7 March, Giro555 organized a nationwide action day under the title ‘Samen in actie voor Oekraïne’ (Dutch for 'Together in action for Ukraine') to promote the campaign. Several of the country’s largest TV and radio stations, both public and private, conducted star-studded joint radio and TV telethons that ran for most of the day. At the end of the day, the amount of donations had reached €106,200,773, making it one of the most successful Giro555 campaigns to date. The Dutch government announced that it would add another 15 million to the total. For those interested in donating, the campaign is still ongoing. For more information and to donate, go here.

Wittenborg applauds Giro555 and the generosity of the residents of the Netherlands. As an institution, we are committed to assisting all our students, staff and alumni affected by the war in any way we can, with regard to their studies, work and wellbeing.

A message from the Executive

Our students and our faculty and staff, all representing over 100 different nationalities, diverse countries, regions, continents and different religions and beliefs, have made Wittenborg the business school it is today – built on the pillars of ‘internationalisation’, diversity’ and ‘ethics’.

We, your Executive Board, firmly believe that you, and all of our students support these values – our WUAS values - that are essential to world societal development, personal development, and above all peace. War and conflict can never support our values and we condemn conflict, wherever it takes place and in whatever shape or form.

We feel that it is essential to remember that WUAS has students, colleagues and all of us have personal and business relations from Ukraine, but also from Russia and other so-called ‘CIS countries’. Based on our values, we strive to support them all, and try to look after all their best interests morally or when possible and if necessary in more material forms. Many of those effected are worried and scared about their families, their futures, and their immediate situations, and we will do our best to assist them in any way we can.

WUP 15/3/2022
by James Wittenborg
©WUAS Press

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