This archived article was published 5 January 2005
City and regional governments
ready to help tsunami victims
Edited by Manuel Ferrari

Austria | Canada | Belgium | Denmark | France | Germany | Greece | Italy | Netherlands | Portugal | Slovenia | Spain | Switzerland | Turkey | UK |

The Barcelona-based organisation United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) has called on cities and local government associations across the world to support the international efforts to help the tsunami victims in South and South-East Asia. Many cities, regional councils and municipal associations have already responded, by offering financial, technical and humanitarian aid.

AUSTRIA
Vienna: The City Council is sending medical supply and aid materials

CANADA
Ottawa: The Mayor and the City Council has asked the people of Ottawa to donate to aid agencies active in Asia. The flag on City Hall will fly at half-mast for two weeks.
Toronto: The City Council is donating water treatment supplies

BELGIUM
Région Wallonne: The regional government is coordinating aid efforts.

DENMARK
Copenhagen: Copenhagen City gives one million DKK (133,000 euro) to the victims of the Tsunami in South and Southeast Asia. The destructions in Southeast Asia due to the Tsunami have become one of the largest natural disasters in present time. Not just because of the direct number of deaths due to the Tsunami, but also due to the lack of basic necessities as drinking water, food and medication. Copenhagen City has therefore decided to donate 133,000 euro to emergency aid organizations helping the victims of the Tsunami. The money will be divided as follows: Red Cross: 36%, DanChurch Aid: 34%, Unicef: 13%, Save The Children: 9%, Doctors Without Borders: 8%.

FRANCE
Région Ile-de-France: The regional council has launched an operation asking the region’s 562,000 students and apprentices to donate one euro each. In total the regional council hopes to raise some three million euro for the reconstruction in the regions affected by the tsunami.
Lyon: The city has already given 60,000 euro to various aid agencies and will make another 30,000 euro available to the victims of the tsunami.
Paris: The city is collecting money donated by Parisians at the various district town halls and will offer technical assistance for the provision of drinking water in the stricken areas.
Pays de la Loire: The region will give 100,000 euro.
Finistère: The regional council will make emergency financial aid available.
Caen: The city of Caen will give 15,000 euro to the International Red Cross.
Region Midi Pyrenees: The regional council will facilitate exceptional help for the victims that will be coordinated by the Association of French Regions.
Nantes: Together with the Secours Populaire Francais, Nantes proposes to contribute to the evaluation of reconstruction projects.
Bordeaux: The mayor's office is helping with the collection of funds for humanitarian organisation and will submit an exceptional help project to the town council.
Seine St Denis: The president calls for solidarity with the victims of the tsunami disaster.
La Courneuve: The town has organised open days for the collection of funds to tsunami victims.
Angers: Mayor Claude Antonini announced that the town council of Anger will make available an emergency help fund of 50,000 euro.
Rennes: The city has agreed to provide extraordinary help for tsunami victims.
Metz: The City of Metz has created links from its website to those of humanitarian organisations working in South Asia.
Toulouse: The Toulouse Mayor’s office will grant a 100,000-euro subsidy to help countries in southeast Asia. The office also cooperates with the Association des Maires des Grandes Villes which has opened a special account for the tsunami victims.
Marseille: The City of Marseilles will give 100,000 euro to Red Cross.
Aix en Provence: Together with Aviation Sans Frontiere, the city collects funds to help the earth quake victims in southern Asia.
Nimes: The City of Nimes will make available 50,000 euro.
Montpellier: Together with The Centre Communal d'Action Social, the city has opened a bank account for those who wish to donnate for the tsunami victims.
Nice: The Town Council has granted 100 000 euro to help the victims in Asia.
Nancy: The city has set up collection points inside the Town Hall for people who wish to donate funds.
Dijon: The Town Council will give 150,000 euro to the Red Cross.
Strasbourg: The City of Strasbourg and surrounding areas have joined the international solidarity movement helping the countries struck by the catastrophe.
Mulhouse: Mulhouse The City of Mulhouse will give 50,000 euro towards helping the survivors of the tsunami disaster.
Saint Etienne: The city has set up a collection point inside city hall to collect funds for humanitarian associations.
Venissieux (Rhone): In addition to a 70,000-euro donation, the city promises to help the victims for five years.
Auvergne: The regional council will give 50,000 euro via the French embassy in Sry Lanka.
Lille: Lille' Urban community will donate 50,000 euro towards helping the tsunami victims.

GERMANY
Regensburg: Donation account established and finacial reconstruction support pledged
Berlin: Mayor calls for unstinting humanitarian aid to victims of Tsunami
Leipzig: Collecting donations
Karlsruhe: Donating 10,000 euro to humanitarian aid to victims of the tsunami disaster.
Konstanz: Organizing a benefit concert in collaboration with the University of Applied Science of Konstanz
Wolfsburg: Set up accounts to collect funds
Duisburg: City Council sending a delegation of firemen and tracker dogs in the framework of ISAR (International Search and Rescue)
Stuttgart: City Council has sent water purifier machinery and a group of technical experts

GREECE
Athens: Mayor calls for meeting of European capital cities to agree on reconstruction efforts and urges building of schools and orphanages

ITALY
ANCI: ANCI (Associazione nazionale dei Comune italiani): Apertura de una cuenta corriente para ayudar a las víctimas del tsunami
Rome: Roma hace un llamamiento a la ciudadanía para que hagan donaciones y ha puesto en marcha una campaña de apoyo a los niños de las zonas afectadas por la catástrofe
Toscana: The Region focusing support in Tamil Nadu and transfering surgery unit from Pisa's hospital of Santa Chiara
Venezia: City Council arranging direct help actions with Sri Lankan communities living in Venice
Torino: City Council inviting citizens to help acquire pharmaceutical and hospital materials
Milano: The Municipality offers 100.000 € and the Symphony Orchestra and Giuseppe Verdi chorus dedicate January 5th Concert to victims
Bologna: Municipality and Province call for solidarity and launch a joint fund-raising campaign
Ferrara: Regione Emilia-Romagna and Province coordinate fund raising campaign with NGOs
Napoli: City council creates fund of 100.000 euro and trade unions suggest each worker offers one hour of salary
Genova: Council supports the campaign "Aiutiamoli", send an SMS and give one euro

THE NETHERLANDS
VNG: The Netherlands Association of Municipalities (VNG) collates information on the donations and initiatives of cities across the Netherlands, and its International Co-operation Agency, VNG-International, begins discussions with the Dutch government on a reconstruction programme in Galle (Sri Lanka) and Banda Aceh (Indonesia)
Amsterdam: The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht agree to donate €1 per inhabitant with Amsterdam giving 740,000 euro, Rotterdam 600,000 euro, The Hague 470,000 euro and Utrecht 275,000 euro, in total 2,085,000 euro

PORTUGAL
Cascais: El Ayuntamiento hace un llamamiento a la solidaridad de los ciudadanos y se presta a facilitar las donaciones particulares a las organizaciones humanitarias especializadas
Setúbal: City Council organising an action of solidarity with local artists for 16 January

SLOVENIA
Ljubljana: Call to local authorities for assistance to help tsunami victims.

SPAIN
Andalucía: El Fondo Andaluz de Municipios para la Solidaridad Internacional (FAMSI) se coordinará con la Junta de Andalucía y la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI) para la aportación de 200.000 euros
Barcelona: Barcelona destina una partida inicial de 130.000 euros para la reconstrucción de las zonas devastadas. La ciudad aprovecha la cabalgata de Reyes del 5 de enero para hacer un llamamiento a la ciudadanía para que se solidarice con los niños y niñas víctimas del tsunami.
Generalitat de Cataluña: La Generalitat de Cataluña destina una partida de 400.000 euros a través de la Agencia Catalana de Cooperación
FEMP: Llamamiento a los Gobiernos Locales para que canalicen sus ayudas a través de la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI) y de la Cruz Roja Española
La Coruña: City Council donates funds and liaises with local NGOs through Cooperation Network
Zaragoza: City Council donates 50.000 euro and focuses help in Andhrapradesh

SWITZERLAND
Bern: City Council calls for humanitarian aid and each inhabitant donated one CHF each in total: CHF130.000 (88,755 euro)

TURKEY
Istanbul: Mayor cancels the New Year's celebration
Turkish municipalities: Municipalities have initiated campaigns to receive aids from citizens which are transferred to the Turkish Red Crescent Society.

UNITED KINGDOM
London: Mayor urges Londoners to give generously
Portsmouth: Portsmouth City Council sets up appeal fund to aid victims
Wolverhampton: City Council and Primary Care Trust organise payroll giving facility