Update: Condolences and fundraisers for those affected by the Morocco earthquake
On behalf of its students and staff, the Executive Board of Leiden University would like to express our condolences to all those affected by last Friday’s earthquake in Morocco. We would also like to offer support to all students and staff who have family or friends in the area. In the meantime, several members of our academic community have started fundraising appeals.
‘At present there are no indications that students or staff from our university are among those killed’, said President of the Executive Board Annetje Ottow, ‘but the search still continues. Our academic community is shocked by this disaster, especially those with close ties to Morocco. Our sympathy goes out to them.
‘Our thoughts are also with our colleagues from NIMAR, the Netherlands expertise centre for Moroccan Studies in Rabat. Although that city has not been hit by the earthquake, it feels terribly close to home for the people from NIMAR.’
We have been in touch with the NIMAR staff and they are all safe. Today 25 Leiden students will start their minor in Culture and Society in Morocco.
Aid organisations
Various Dutch aid organisations have already launched appeals. The Netherlands Red Cross has opened the Giro6868 bank account for anyone wishing to contribute. The Red Cross, UNICEF and Care are currently active in Morocco.
Fundraising appeals at the university
Meanwhile, the first fundraising actions by people from our academic community have begun. For example, associate professor Mark Driessen of the Faculty of Archaeology tells about his friends Dorine Eijkman and Willem Steensma, who have been running an orphanage south of Marrakech for a long time. The orphanage itself has not been damaged and the children are safe, but a lot of buildings in the area have been badly affected. To help local residents, Dorine, Willem and a few others started a relief campaign. For more information, visit: https://gofund.me/3b861768
Sigrid van Roode, PhD candidate at the Faculty of Humanities and affiliated with NIMAR, has announced that she will donate the proceeds from her online course 'Jewelry from the Middle East and North Africa' to relief efforts for both Morocco and Libya. She has friends and acquaintances in both countries, and her supervisor is affiliated with NIMAR. For more information, visit: https://bedouinsilver.com/e-course/
Launched an appeal? Share it with us
If you are a student or a member of staff who has launched an appeal for Morocco that you would like to have listed here, send us an email. We will share the information with our community. The more visibility these initiatives gain, the greater their chances of success.
Support for students
If you are a student who has been directly or indirectly affected by the events in Morocco, you can drop in on a Meeting Point or the POPcorner in Leiden or The Hague.
Meeting Point, Plexus Student Centre Leiden: Wed and Thu, 12.00-16.00 and Fri, 11.00-13.00.
POPcorner Faculty of Humanities, Lipsius building, room 0.16: Tues 12.00-16.00.
POPcorner Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, send an email to popcorner@fsw.leidenuniv.nl to make an appointment.
POPcorner The Hague, Beehive Student Centre The Hague: Mon, Tue and Thu: 12.00-16.00.
Student psychologists
If you would like to talk to a student psychologist, you will find their contact details on the website.
Other support
If you have financial worries following the earthquake or questions about your tuition fees or enrolment, for example if you want to travel to family in the area, please contact the student counsellors or the study adviser or coordinator from your degree programme.
Support for staff
If you are a staff member and need extra support, please talk to your manager.