Authors: Krzysztof Lechowski, Key Comms Intern, and Robert Goia, Stakeholder Engagement Officer, Gaia-X
Editor in Chief: Vassilia Orfanou, CMO of Gaia-X
In these devastating times, Gaia-X stands united with the people of Ukraine and calls for a peaceful and swift resolution to the war.
It is a human right to have access to medications and healthcare, and life-saving humanitarian aid must be provided.
Each of us has the potential to make a change and help. We have seen volunteers in neighbouring countries, including Poland, Romania, Hungary, Moldova, and Slovakia, which are actively engaged in organizing, and coordinating support for Ukrainian refugees arriving in their countries. The solidarity network that has been set up since the very first day of the war is an inspiration to all of us. They enable the world community to come together to address the most pressing problems.
We are proud of our European compatriots; they are the backbone of our society. When it comes to developing a new data space ecosystem, Gaia-X leads the way. We are particularly pleased with our team members, who lead by example by actively participating in pro bono work for European citizenship emancipation and volunteering activities with the Red Cross.
Grassroots initiatives are the soil on which we can build a more equal, citizen-centered society. Numerous NGOs have been working relentlessly on the borders to assist arriving refugees over the last three months. Polish Humanitarian Action delivers humanitarian aid in Poland and Ukraine, ranging from food and hygiene products to psychological support. Doctors without Borders remain in Ukraine. NGOs are essential in providing specific assistance on the ground, as in Romania, citizens, together with the coordination of specialised NGOs, have taken it to themselves to provide shelter and resources to people in need, with the support of the hospitality industry. Moreover, SMEs provided free transportation and call centres in Ukraine, and universities decided to integrate Ukrainian students back into studies, and these are just a few of the ad-hoc decisions taken by the people, for the people, in a row of solidarity.
However, the numbers are overwhelming. More than 5.8 million refugees fled Ukraine, of which 3.18 million found asylum in Poland; over 6 thousand civilians were killed or injured, including 519 kids. The estimated cost of infrastructure damage reached 87 billion euros and counting. IMF already financially supports Ukraine, and European countries are equally focused on supporting Ukraine financially and supplying it with military aid.
We also want to thank the many associations across Europe and our member associations which have offered their support. We are deeply inspired by the members of the Gaia-X, with their commitment to ensuring aid to Ukrainians fleeing their country due to war.
Orange Poland, part of the French telecommunication company Orange, provides dedicated prepaid SIM cards to refugees from Ukraine or Deutsche Telekom AG, free SIM cards and free telephony to Ukraine. Deutsche Telekom also offer jobs in numerous European countries for Ukrainian refugees.
Gaia-X stands firmly behind its principles of transparency, trust, and sovereignty of data. Values, as such, are also applicable in relations between the countries and must not be violated.
We do not have a choice in where we were born, but each of us has the potential to impact the world around us. Start changing the world now by contributing to an NGO or international NGO of your choice!
We encourage all people of goodwill to contribute in these dark times.
