A few weeks ago we told you about Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris’ idea to buy an island, maybe in Greece, maybe in Italy, that’ll offer both housing and jobs for refugees.
It was a fantastic gesture, but one that most people probably expected to fizzle out, which is usually the fate of lofty proposals on Twitter.
Well, turns out Sawiris was pretty serious. “We have corresponded with their owners and expressed our interest to go into negotiation with them,” he said in a statement.
He says he’s received significant interest from donors and has even decided on a name already: “Aylan Island,” in memory of Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi, who’s drowning has come to symbolize the refugee crisis after a photo of his body washed up on a beach in Turkey made headlines around the world.
The plan will also include a small port or marina for the boats to land. He intends to employ people to build their own homes, schools, a hospital, a university, and hotel,” which he estimates would provide work for 100,000 and 200,000 refugees.
Initial funding will come from $100 million in capital held by a joint stock company. “Anyone who will donate will get share in the company, thus becoming a partner in the island and in the project,” said Sawiris. “This way, any money put in will not be completely lost, as the asset (the island) will remain.”
The next step is seeking the Greek government’s permission to go ahead with the project.
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