turkish-greek civic dialogue - AEGEE Europe

WORKSHOPS OF THE
REBUILDING COMMUNICATIONS
CONFERENCE
1. SOCIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF
NATURAL DISASTERS
....................................................................................................................... Atilla Ulaş
Workshop Leader, President Of Federation Of
Search -Rescue Associations, http://www.akut.org.tr
OBJECTIVE of the workshop has been to discuss the effects and benefits of
search & rescue efforts to the friendship between Turkey and Greece and the
permanency of these results. The workshop also aimed at creating a project
on the topic that would provide the continuation of the improved relations, as
well as raising discussions whether an international and borderless atmosphere
can be created on the basis of Turkish-Greek friendship.
This workshop raised questions and discussions regarding the rapprochement of
Turkish and Greek communities right after the saddening earthquakes occurred
subsequently in Turkey and Greece and also focused on the theme sociological
effects of natural disasters. In the course of the workshop, the workshop leader
explained his experiences to the participants including AKUT’s (Turkish Search-
Rescue Association) arrival to Greece due to the earthquake, their involvement
in search-rescue works, their communication with the Greek citizens, the
dialogue they involved in with the Greek families as a result of the partnership
project they run in cooperation with Greek Samaritans, importance of mutual
exchange of experiences with other teams, effect of media on the members
of the search-rescue team, media’s emphasize on a member of search-rescue
team in Greece and Turkey as a hero, how this make the team feel, experiences
in foreign aids. Apart from these fruitful explanations and discussions, the
leader also presented a video about their search-rescue work in Greece as well
as some photos and newspapers of the time.
Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de L’Europe
Following outcomes emerged as a result of the workshop:
The human being factor should be emphasized and be prioritized in
Turkish-Greek Civic Dialogue.
There should be projects aiming at bringing people together when
there is not a natural disaster concerned.
It is highly necessary to stress the significance of foreign aids and to
encourage societies in that respect.
A survey study may be implemented by selecting specific quarters
and zones in Sakarya and İzmit, which experienced earthquakes.
This survey should cover questions on the disaster itself and on the
relations between Turkey and Greece. The overall study should be
completed with the assessment of the results.
There is an impressive letter from an old Greek lady addressed to
AKUT written after their assistance to the search-rescue works in
Greece. This letter can be made public both in Greece and Turkey.
There should be a project aiming at furthering Turkish –Greek
relations, which have progressed to an extent after the earthquake.
This project should be run by Greek and Turkish youth. The
workshop participants worked on this specific result and designated
a draft project about to this end.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
1999 EARTHQUAKES IN TURKEY AND GREECE
After the earthquakes, which occurred on August 17 in Turkey and on September
9 in Greece, the search and rescue teams of both countries went for a mission
to “the other” country and helped to save lives. EMAK, which is the search and
rescue team from Greece, was one of the first comers after the Earthquake
in Kocaeli. This surprised and created gratitude in Turkey after many conflicts
and a tense period, this was really a good gesture from the “Other side”. The
same happened when the Earthquake in Greece took place and AKUT, Turkish
Civil Defense and some private associations involved in the efforts for saving
lives in Greece.
Rebuilding Communication
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