Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises Donate to Europe Refugee Relief

costa cruisesCosta Cruises and AIDA Cruises have announced the two lines will donate a total of 200,000 Euros in Italy and Germany to support refugee relief in Europe.

Costa is donating 100,000 Euros to Médecins Sans Frontières, while AIDA is giving 100,000 Euros to the Aktion Deutschland hilft alliance.

"The current situation is an exceptional challenge for the whole of Europe," said Michael Thamm, CEO of Costa Group. "The fate of the refugees concerns all of us. Hundreds of thousands of people who have left everything behind them need all the support we can give them. For us it is a question of humanity to provide help now, fast and without red tape."

"Europe is facing a big emergency and we at Costa felt the responsibility to provide our support," said Neil Palomba, president of Costa Cruises. "Each day we understand more about this extremely sad situation and the needs all refugees have. We think that we must concretely support the ongoing relief efforts and that's why we want to sustain them." 

Since 2002 the Médecins Sans Frontières organization ("Doctors Without Borders") has provided medical assistance to refugees and migrants both on arrival and in the First Aid and Reception Center in Pozzallo, Sicily, in close collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Health. MSF also provides psychological and medical assistance in the ports reception centers of the Ragusa province of Sicily. In May 2015 MSF activated rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea with three dedicated ships.