12/7/2015

More than 700 people attended a benefit concert organized by the Centre culturel syrien to help Syrians who have been internally displaced. Among those present were Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre and federal member of Parliament Marc Miller.

The I Medici di McGill Orchestra, under the baton of Gilles Auger, performed at the Dec. 17 concert at Notre-Dame Basilica. The proceeds of more than $40,000 went to Development and Peace  (the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace) and Oxfam Quebec.

Millions of Syrians have been displaced by the continuing civil war that began in 2011. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 7.6 million Syrians have been displaced within Syria and an additional 3.6 million have fled to neighbouring countries including Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq. Of these, some have made it further afield, most to Europe or North America. 

Susan Schwartz