Manchester City manager encourages donations for quake victims in Türkiye, Syria

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called for helping the people affected by last month’s earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.

Guardiola, 52, took part in the "shoulder-to-shoulder" fundraising campaign, organized by Türkiye's Youth and Sports Ministry, the Turkish Football Federation, the Turkish Union of Clubs, and beIN Media Group.

"On behalf of Manchester City, we want to send for this tragedy in Türkiye and Syria, for all the people there," Guardiola said in a video message posted on Twitter by the Turkish Football Federation.

"Please if you have something to donate, to make any gesture count, just do it. We will do it on behalf of Manchester City. Hopefully, everyone can do the same," Guardiola added.

The campaign aims to aid quake victims and is taking place until June 15 under the leadership of the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Turkish Football Federation, the Super Lig Clubs Association Foundation and beIN Media Group.

Famous sports figures participated in the campaign such as European Club Association Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Kylian Mbappe, Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, Ruud Gullit, Mikel Arteta, Arsene Wenger, and Reece James.

On Feb. 6, magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes struck 11 Turkish provinces -- Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa. The quakes claimed more than 50,000 lives.

More than 13.5 million people in Türkiye have been affected by the devastating earthquakes as well as many others in northern Syria.