Airbnb has announced it has partnered with the United Nations to provide free short-term housing in Poland, Moldova, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia to refugees fleeing Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Why it matters: Over 2 million people from more than 100 countries have fled Ukraine in what the UN has called the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
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Airbnb.org and the International Organization for Migration have committed to provide shelter to up to 100,000 refugees trying to escape Ukraine amidst Moscow’s prolonged bombardment of the country.
What they’re saying: “We are grateful for the continued generosity of the Airbnb community, who have opened their homes to refugees or have donated to Airbnb.org’s efforts,” Joe Gebbia, Airbnb’s co-founder, said.
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“If you have space to host, please consider helping Airbnb.org and IOM in offering temporary housing to those in need fleeing Ukraine.”
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Gebbia described the unfolding situation in Ukraine as the “largest humanitarian crises of our lifetime.”
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“Many will need a safe space to process the events of the last few days and to rest their weary hearts,” said Amy Pope, the deputy director general for the International Organization for Migration.
The big picture: To date, at least 15,000 hosts have signed up to offer their homes for free or at a discount rate across the globe, the company said.
Editor’s note: The headline of this story has been corrected to show that Airbnb and the UN have partnered to house 100,000 refugees, not 1,000.
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