Our focus in 2023 revolved around the Türkiye–Syria earthquakes and the massive response that would follow. Working side by side with academics, universities, think tanks, UN agencies, and international humanitarian organizations, we stove diligently to assess the damage wrought on that fateful day, identify the needs of those affected by the disaster, and support the coordination of response and recovery efforts.
In the aftermath of the earthquakes, we partnered with Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) field teams to assess and analyze the diverse needs of aggrieved communities. After meeting with survivors to ascertain how satisfied they were with the services rendered, we recorded the experiences, trials, and tribulations of the relief workers who stood at the heart of response efforts. In doing so, we sought to document our disaster response efforts, provide data-driven recommendations to field teams, and evaluate the impact of these initiatives on the lives of those who had suffered so much.
Beyond these efforts, TRC Academy launched 109 cutting-edge training modules to expand our public outreach. We organized orientation workshops to equip everyone involved in disaster response and recovery operations with what they would need to handle not only their responsibilities but also the potentially traumatizing scenes they might encounter in the field. Our distance learning system, bolstered by partnerships with various institutions, proved an invaluable asset in our endeavor to make targeted training accessible to broad segments of society and in providing educational content available to anyone with an internet connection. By making all of our training materials available via the Human Resources Office’s Distance Learning Portal, for instance, we surpassed fifty thousand registered users on our platform by the end of 2023.
To advance research and collaboration in critical areas, TRC Academy provided scholars working in disaster management, migration, international aid, and volunteering with field access and statistical support. We assisted thirty-six researchers with their data and field access requests while simultaneously strengthening networks among professionals in these fields.
We collaborated with several partners on two TÜBİTAK projects focusing on disasters and developed consortia to apply for various international projects in Europe—particularly those sponsored by Erasmus—and beyond. The Vocational Education and Training Mobility Accreditation grant we were awarded enabled us to support our colleagues’ participation in international training workshops that have played a central role in strengthening their professional knowledge and skills.
Since our founding in 2020, our department has been responsible for overseeing TRC’s educational, research, and publication activities. This year, we succeeded in fulfilling this objective by publishing fifteen works, including research series, biographies, oral histories, memoirs, narratives, and art collections. Our diligence in this regard has positioned TRC Culture and Arts Publications as the primary platform for TRC Academy to publish influential cultural, artistic, and scientific works. These publications seek to deepen expertise and raise public awareness vis-à-vis the areas in which TRC is actively engaged. In line with our commitment to allowing to our readers to download, benefit, archive, and share whatever our work, all products from TRC Culture and Arts Publications are freely available on TRC Academy’s website. We have authorized anyone and everyone to download these materials and share them in their original, unmodified forms on all digital platforms without having to seek extra permission.
One of the fifteen books we published this year is Humanitarian Diplomacy: From Theory to Practice, authored by a team of distinguished academics, diplomats, and humanitarian workers. We signed an agreement with Routledge to publish the English version of this book and have entered the final stages prior to release. We hosted the annual meeting of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Research Consortium (RC3), of which we are a board member in September. This consortium formalized our relationship with the various research institutions within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and helps us synchronize our own educational and research priorities with those of the international community.
Another of TRC Academy’s goals is to advance humanitarian studies by contributing to academic literature, shaping agendas, organizing national and international gatherings, and supporting events hosted by other institutions. We participated in numerous academic conferences and workshops during where several of our colleagues presented papers on disasters, humanitarian aid, and public health. Building on the partnerships formed during the International Humanitarian Studies Conference, we laid the groundwork for new projects slated for implementation in 2024.
One of the key lessons learned this year is the critical importance of building resilience. The tragic events of the February 6 Türkiye–Syria earthquakes showed us all too clearly that greater resilience at both the individual and societal levels could have lessened the destruction they inflicted on our nation’s people. With this in mind, we will focus on strengthening and expanding our partnerships in education, research, and publications—locally, nationally, and internationally—to enhance resilience-focused research and awareness-raising efforts throughout 2024.