Prince Harry and Meghan Markle call for action after Taliban takeover and Haiti quake
Montecito, California - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, urged the world to come together amid the Covid-19 pandemic, earthquake relief efforts in Haiti, and the Taliban’s takeover in Kabul.
The royals said in a statement Tuesday that the world feels "heartbroken," "speechless," and "scared" by everything that’s happening.
"The world is exceptionally fragile right now," Harry and Meghan said in the post on their Archewell nonprofit’s website. "When any person or community suffers, a piece of each of us does so with them, whether we realize it or not."
"And though we are not meant to live in a state of suffering, we, as a people, are being conditioned to accept it," they continued. "It’s easy to find ourselves feeling powerless, but we can put our values into action – together."
In their post, Meghan and Harry asked people to support the organizations Women for Afghan Women, World Central Kitchen, Afghan Aid, Mercy Corps, and Invictus. They included additional resources, and urged "those in positions of global influence to rapidly advance the humanitarian dialogues."
More than 1,400 people have died and at least 6,000 were injured in the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Haiti on Saturday, according to officials. Thousands of homes and buildings were destroyed in the country.
The Taliban overtook Afghanistan’s capital city on Sunday, with President Ashraf Ghani leaving the country. Large crowds of residents have attempted to flee, creating a chaotic scene at Kabul’s international airport.
Coronavirus cases are surging due to the highly transmissible Delta variant. More than four million people have died worldwide during the pandemic.
"We recognize that many of you may feel helpless right now as you watch the state of the world spin rapidly," Harry and Meghan wrote.
"It can feel disorienting and defeating, but we have faith in the power of shared purpose, action, and commitment to our collective well-being," the couple said.
Cover photo: Collage: 123RF/ megaflopp & IMAGO / i Images