I am pleased to present you the 2023 edition of the Türkiye Humanitarian Action Overview, a new publication of the Turkish Red Crescent Academy that we publish periodically.
The Turkish Red Crescent Academy, which we established to produce knowledge, and data in the field of humanitarian studies and to make this information available to humanity through training and publications, conducts studies to document our humanitarian aid memory. One of these studies is the Türkiye Humanitarian Action Overview that you are holding in your hands.
2023, a year in which we experienced many national and international disasters and emergencies, especially the devastating earthquakes on February 6, left significant marks on our humanitarian aid history. We mobilized as a nation to heal the wounds of the disaster, directing our time, effort, and resources to those in need. However, we have once again painfully recognized the importance of pre-disaster preparedness activities. By learning lessons from past disasters and enhancing our individual and collective resilience, it is possible to avoid disasters or reduce their impact.
Based on this observation, we present to you the Türkiye Humanitarian Action Overview, which we prepared in 2023 to share the lessons and messages learned from the efforts carried out by various organizations with the public and carry them into the future.
As in every year, we have compiled academic analyses in the fields of disaster, migration, public health, international aid, social services and volunteering. We have also included the field studies conducted in these fields in the institutional evaluations section.
I hope that this study, a collaborative effort of humanitarian actors in Türkiye, will serve as a valuable resource for researchers and humanitarian aid professionals by presenting the humanitarian aid activities carried out over the past year from the perspective of those involved and giving voice to the field.
I sincerely thank all academics and institutional representatives who contributed to the Overview.
Prof. Dr. Fatma Meriç Yılmaz
President of the Turkish Red Crescent