Media Convergence Initiative

Syrian humanitarian crisis finally unfolds. After all the trial and tribulations Syrian refugees finally made it to Germany. Seeking for asylum, over twenty thousand people have arrived to Germany and in the near future the country expects around ten thousand more. Germany stated that they are going to take all those who come regardless of how they got there with open arms and will receive their asylum claims assets immediately. Germany welcomed the refugees with essentials like water and food; moreover, several months from now the country expects around eighty hundred thousand refuges more; therefore, Germany has allocated over 6.5 billion dollars for lodging, benefit payments, and language courses. France has also gotten in the action announcing they will take twenty-four thousand refugees. Syrians have been fleeing to other countries like Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey for survival since 2011 due to the unfortunate civil war they are facing. Cities have been bombed and chemical weapons have been used; however, we NOW hear about this devastating situation in the states because refugees have reached Europe. The flood of refugees does not show sign of stopping and other European countries like the United Kingdom and Italy are expected to get involved to help the Syrian population of refugees as well; furthermore, not only European countries are expected to help, South American countries and the United States have recently spoke out about helping out and accepting a significant amount of Syrian refugees too.   It is saddening to hear about this Middle Eastern crisis because it shows no sign of stopping, yet it is refreshing to know that a significant amount of countries have stepped to help Syrians out even when they did not have to.

On September 11, 2015, two weeks before the beginning of the Hajj pilgrimage, a crane crashed through the roof of the Grand Mosque of Mecca and killed at least 107 of the worshippers inside. Additionally, around 238 people were injured. Though speculation places the blame on the recent heavy winds and rain as the cause, Saudi Arabian King Salman promised the hospitalized that he “will investigate all the reasons [for the collapse] and afterwards declare the results to the citizens.” At the time of the incident, the mosque – known for being the largest in the world – contained up to 800,000 worshippers from countries such as Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Egypt, and Pakistan.

Major renovation work is currently underway at the mosque, as it will soon see the arrival of an approximated 2 million people from all over the world come the Hajj pilgrimage. Even before the incident the renovations were the subject of much alarm, as the mosque contains many historic parts dating back 1,400 years, but also needs to prioritize healthy and safety considering the influx of population it will see in just a few weeks.

According to CNN, the accident will not keep worshippers from making the pilgrimage in the coming weeks. “My main concern is safety issues that arise with such a big crowd,” says one American prepping for the trip. “It’s a reminder to put my trust in God and that I can’t stop death if it’s my time whether I’m there or sleeping safely in bed.”