The International Islamic Relief Organization-Saudi Arabia (IIORSA) will honor diplomats accredited to Saudi Arabia in a ceremony to be held on Tuesday at the Cultural Palace in the Diplomatic Enclave in Riyadh. Accredited diplomats from the Arab region, Islamic countries, Africa, Europe and America have also been invited to attend the ceremony. The Organization held its first reception to fete the accredited diplomats in Riyadh in 2011. It also honored the Consuls General and their spouses in two separate functions in Jeddah last year. Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki, Secretary General of the Muslim World League and President of IIROSA, will address the party. The Ambassador of the State of Qatar, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, will talk on behalf of the accredited diplomats. The guests will be treated to a documentary film titled “Pioneer” highlighting some of the humanitarian and relief achievements of the Organization which was established in 1979. They will also visit the exhibition being organized for the occasion. In press statements, Dr. Adnan Bin Khalil Basha, Secretary General of IIORSA, said since its inception more than 30 years ago, the organization has been on the scene whenever humanitarian and charity efforts were needed and is among the first to extend a helping hand to victims of natural or man-made disaster providing them with accommodation, food and medical treatment. He said the assistance extended by IIORSA have so far reached more than 43 million people in 149 countries around the world. “We extend this relief assistance irrespective of race, color or creed,” he explained. He added that in 2011 through seven major programs, the organization had financed and managed a total of 1,162 projects benefiting more than 1.2 million people in four continents of the world. “During the flood crisis in Pakistan, we were among the first to be there and in Somalia we were among the forefront relief organization to aid the hunger-stricken and victims of drought where more than four million people in 97 remote areas benefited from the organization's assistance which consisted of foodstuffs, medicines and clean water,” he said, adding that IIROSA responded immediately in Turkey to provide relief to victims of the earthquake in the northeastern parts of the country providing them with covers, heating stoves, food and medicine. IIROSA has also earmarked SR10 million to provide assistance to the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan where it has so far distributed food baskets and medicines among more than 40,000 people. “The organization is undertaking field surveys to assess the needs of the Syrian refugees,” he added. Dr. Basha said that IIROSA had sponsored more than 304,000 orphans around the world including 15,351 in Saudi Arabia.
