Türkiye

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Article

Marmara earthquake: 20 years on

On Saturday 17 August, Turkey marks the anniversary of the 7.4-magnitude quake that hit Izmit—around 100 kilometres east of Istanbul— killing 17,479 people, including 1,000 in Istanbul, the economic capital of the country. The quake hit at 3:02 am on 17 August 1999, killing thousands as they slept. In Istanbul, several hundred people were killed when buildings collapsed. Since then, fears remain high with constant warnings from scientists that Istanbul, Turkey’s most populated city and economic hub, will be at the epicenter of the next "big one". Turkey is among the world's most seismically active countries as it is situated on a number of active fault lines. Every day, there are approximately 100 minor earthquakes and aftershocks. In the last big earthquake in October 2011, more than 600 people died in the eastern province of Van after 7.2 magnitude quake. 20 years after the Marmara disaster, Turkey has seen an overhaul in measures to prevent damage from earthquakes, such as compulsory earthquake insurance and campaigns to raise awareness and inform the public about earthquake preparedness. The Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay) has played a pioneering role by reconstructing the disaster management model from top to bottom. A more effective, sustainable, applicable disaster management model was developed. Disaster preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction activities were redesigned. Today, Kızılay has the capacity to meet the urgent housing needs of 271,485 people in a possible disaster with its ten regional and 23 local Disaster Management Centers. Türk Kızılay is also stepping up its efforts to build a resilient society through a community-based disaster management model and to make disaster preparedness a lifestyle for every citizen. The Safe Living Culture which is being developed in tandem with the Ministry of National Education aims to raise awareness, provide knowledge and skills and ensure active participation in disaster response processes.

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Article

Children listening to the world with their eyes

By Ece Ceren Dogar, IFRC “The world is beautiful!” says Muhsine to Abdullah, her friend from Syria whom she calls her little brother. The two are deep in concentration, covering their paper with green and blue paint. Later, they have more fun painting ceramics, showing off their drama skills and taking part in a music lesson with a difference – listening to the rhythms not with their ears, but with their eyes. Muhsine, who is Turkish, and Abdullah, who is Syrian, are both hearing impaired. They are just two of 10 children who had the opportunity to attend a four-week “We listen to the world with our eyes” workshop. Organised by Turkish Red Crescent’s EU-funded Şanlıurfa Community Centre and Şanlıurfa School of the Deaf, the workshop aimed to contribute to the personal and social development of the children and to ensure social cohesion by providing an environment that brings different cultures together. Community Centre Cohesion and Activity Officer Gülşen Gürgerli Şimşek says the change in Abdullah, who arrived from Syria two years ago, is remarkable. “We encountered Abdullah, who is both a migrant and hearing impaired, in one of our field visits. He lives in a crowded house of 25 people and had no opportunity to improve his personal and social development." “The first week he was timid but after that, he was just running to and fro and smiling all the time. This was a priceless outcome for us,” smiles Mrs Simsek. There are more than 3.6 million Syrians in Turkey who are under temporary protection, of whom more than 1.7 million are children. An unknown percentage of these children suffer from hearing loss, which can exacerbate challenges adjusting to their host country. Mrs Simsek says activities such as this workshop, and other social cohesion initiatives involving both migrants and host communities help to provide an environment which is supportive for overcoming difficulties. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtGLihv5muU&feature=youtu.be[/embed] Turkish Red Crescent Community Centres Since 2015, Turkish Red Crescent Community Centres have been offering various services such as psychosocial support, protection, livelihoods support and social cohesion for migrants and host communities, with the aim of enabling a safer, more dignified and hopeful life. By the beginning of July 2019, the Community Centres had helped almost 800,000 people. For more information, please visit http://www.kizilaytoplummerkezleri.org/en

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Press release

New interactive classroom tool and game teaches kids about Syrian refugee crisis

Budapest/Geneva, 13 March —As the devastating conflict in Syria enters its 9th year, a Red Cross Red Crescent partnership is launching a powerful interactive classroom tool to help European students understand and empathise with the dangers and difficult choices faced by young Syrian refugees and their families. “Brothers Across Borders” is a web-based interactive game and movie, accompanied by an in-depth teaching and discussion guide in eight languages. It was developed by the Danish Red Cross, in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and 14 other National Societies that aid Syrian refugees. In the game, students and other players become Ismael, a young Syrian refugee from Aleppo, who crosses into Turkey in search of his missing brother. The player uses Ismael’s mobile phone and his brother’s Instagram account to receive clues and follow his brother’s trail. He meets many interesting characters on his journey who offer help. As the search goes on, the player, as Ismael, is forced to make tough choices and manage their consequences, impacting the action of the movie and Ismael’s life. All the while, Ismael communicates by text with his mother, who remains with the rest of the family in an area of Aleppo under bombardment. Klaus Nørskov, Head of Communications with the Danish Red Cross, said: “We decided to use gaming techniques that young people are familiar with to captivate and engage them in the stories of Syrian refugees. By making the game lifelike, students and other players outside of classroom settings experience the characters’ fears, uncertainties and dilemmas as if they are living through it themselves.” The teaching materials include a range of discussion topics and exercises on the Syria conflict, regional geography, culture, family life and language and on themes such as displacement, refugees and asylum. Simon Missiri, Director of IFRC’s Europe region said: “Young people today are exposed to heated public debate about migration, but few understand the desperation and difficult choices refugees and migrants face before, during and after taking flight. “We hope teachers in Europe and beyond will use this innovative classroom tool to spur learning and discussion about the Syrian conflict. We also hope it will give students insight into the impact of war and displacement on ordinary people, including Syrian children they may now share a classroom with.” The characters in the movie are played by Syrian refugees, people from Turkish communities who host them and staff of the Turkish Red Crescent. Brothers Across Borders is funded by the European Union Regional Trust Fund as part of a larger programme, Madad, which assists displaced Syrians and host communities in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.

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Press release

Shaping the future of the world’s largest humanitarian movement

Antalya, Turkey, 11 November 2017 – A major conference has adopted a series of measures that will shape the efforts of the world’s largest humanitarian movement to respond to the needs of people affected by crises. The global meetings of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement looked at pressing emergencies and challenges, while also exploring emerging trends that will have a profound impact on the future of humanitarian action.The global meetings were held in Turkey – a country surrounded by some of the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises, including the conflict in Syria and the ongoing emergency facing people trying to cross the Mediterranean.The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement called on States to guarantee the safety and dignity of all migrants, along with their unrestrained access to humanitarian assistance.“We are calling on States to ensure that all people – regardless of their nationality or legal status – are treated with dignity and respect,” said Francesco Rocca, who was elected President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) during the meetings. “As a Red Cross and Red Crescent, we must be ready to stand up and advocate for all vulnerable migrants, for all vulnerable people. We must be prepared – we are prepared – to work with the international community for the respect and dignity of all people.”While emphasizing the need for new approaches to respond to dramatically shifting needs, the Movement also reaffirmed the non-negotiable importance of principled humanitarian action.“In a world where faith in institutions is rapidly evaporating, great trust is placed in the symbols of the red cross and red crescent and in the neutral, impartial, independent humanitarian action that brings them to life,” said Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “But in many places across the world, the space for such impartial action is under threat. Human dignity is disregarded, the applicability of the law is questioned, and humanitarian aid is politicized.”One of the most pronounced examples of disregard for humanitarian law and norms is the increasing number of attacks on humanitarian aid workers and volunteers. Since the beginning of 2017 alone, more than 45 Red Cross and Red Crescent personnel have been killed in the line of duty.Further resolutions were adopted on education, with the Movement committing to expanding its work in this area in situations of conflict and disasters. On nuclear weapons, a resolution was adopted calling on States to sign and implement the recently-adopted Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.The Movement also pledged to scale up its response to the mental health consequences of humanitarian crises, and to strengthen and codify its work during pandemics and epidemics. Commitment was also made to reinforce gender equality and equal opportunities in the leadership and work of the Movement.The outcomes of the General Assembly and the Council of Delegates will feed into the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in 2019 which will bring together States and components of the Movement.

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