Türk Kızılay International

February 6, 2023… The disaster of the century. We lost tens of thousands of lives, our cities were destroyed. But the strongest force that rose from the ruins was solidarity. Our community kitchens, hot meal trucks, and mobile kitchens worked tirelessly. Mobile toilets, showers, and laundries met the basic needs of our people. In this process, we saw the true strength of supporting one another and healing together. The pain of this loss will never fade, but together, we will continue rebuilding lives. We will leave no one behind.❤️‍🩹 @ifrc

A sense of safety felt in an embrace. ❤️ Every extended hand, every connection formed becomes the strongest support that reminds us we are not alone. Kindness is the most beautiful bond built from one heart to another.🌙

Greetings from Somalia! Meals prepared at the Turkish Red Crescent Soup Kitchen in Somalia are delivered to orphanages, disability care centers, and camps. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our donors who support this act of kindness. ❤️ #Somalia

A lifetime shaped by love and kindness. ❤️ Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers and to all Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers. 💐#HappyMothersDay

With the same values and the same determination, we are on the ground. ❤️ Together with millions of volunteers working for humanity, we are wherever help is needed. Always for humanity. 🌙 #WorldRedCrossRedCrescentDay #IFRC

Kindness knows no borders! 🌍✨ According to the IFRC report, the Turkish Red Crescent delivered: 🔹 CHF 119 million in total humanitarian assistance, 🔹 74% of all aid provided to Syria, 🔹 48% of all aid provided to Palestine. We are proud to have carried out 26% of the total assistance delivered by all National Societies worldwide. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this collective humanitarian effort! ❤️

We go door to door, chasing after good deeds. ❤️ Our teams visit the families we serve in their homes, assessing their living conditions on-site and identifying their needs. Goodness is beautiful when shared.🌙

A ship carrying 730 tons of humanitarian aid supplies prepared by AFAD and the Turkish Red Crescent for delivery to the people of Lebanon has arrived at the Port of Beirut. The unloading of the aid supplies on board was coordinated on the ground by our Director General of International Affairs and Migration Services, Alper Küçük, together with teams from the Lebanese Red Cross and IFRC.

Temelini Şubat’ta attığımız, Türk Kızılayın desteğiyle inşa edilen Maroua’daki Acil Müdahale Merkezi tamamlandı. Le Centre d’Opération d’Urgence de Maroua construit avec le soutien du Croissant-Rouge turc et lancé en février, est désormais achevé. @Kizilay @CroixRougeCam @ifrc

A protocol was signed to strengthen cooperation between Türkiye and South Korea in the field of humanitarian assistance. The signing ceremony was attended by H.E. Sukjong BOO, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ankara; Kihyuk Nam, Türkiye Representative of the Korean Red Cross; our President Prof. Dr. Fatma Meriç Yılmaz; and Alper Küçük, our Director General of International Relations and Migration Services. Through this cooperation, the aim is to enhance disaster response capacity, develop joint projects, and deliver more effective support to people in need.

Kindness that crosses borders. 🌍❤️ Across different parts of the world, every outstretched hand reaching people in need tells a story of solidarity and sharing. Kindness knows no distance. 🌙

As part of efforts to strengthen Uzbekistan’s migration management, representatives visiting Türkiye from Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, the Institute for Legislation and Policy Analysis under the Presidency of Uzbekistan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Uzbekistan, and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Ankara, along with the representatives from IOM Türkiye, paid a study visit to Türk Kızılay Ankara Community Center to closely observe the activities of the Community Center. The delegation, accompanied by Eda Çok Öztürk, Head of Migrant Protection Services, were provided information on Türk Kızılay’s activities in the field of migration services.

The journey of a meal. ❤️ In our soup kitchen, meals are carefully prepared, meticulously cooked, and packaged for delivery to families in need.

Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, President, Turkish Red Crescent, spoke at the #ADFPanel titled “Access Denied: Breaking Artificial Barriers in Humanitarian Action” @FatmaMericYlmaz #ADF2026 #MEET4DIPLOMACY

Our President, Prof. Dr. Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, took part in the panel titled “Access Denied: Breaking Artificial Barriers in Humanitarian Action” held within the scope of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the panel, our President, Prof. Dr. Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, together with Carl Skau from the United Nations World Food Programme, IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain, and Ramiz Alakbarov from the United Nations, emphasized that safeguarding humanitarian access is not only an operational necessity, but also a fundamental responsibility in defense of human dignity and the right to life. In the session moderated by our Director General of International Affairs and Migration Services, Alper Küçük, participants reflected on the severe consequences of obstructed access to aid in today’s crises and underlined the shared responsibility to strengthen a more principled, safe, and unimpeded approach to humanitarian action.

Within the scope of ADF2026, the panel titled “Access Denied: Breaking Artificial Barriers in Humanitarian Action” will explore why safeguarding humanitarian access is vital in the face of numerous obstacles. 
 This important session will feature Prof. Dr. Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, President of the Turkish Red Crescent, as a speaker, and Alper Küçük, Director General of International Affairs and Migration Services, as moderator. You can follow the session via the live broadcast. 
 📅 18 April 2026
⏱️ 11:30
📍 Antalya 
 📡 Live broadcast: antalyadf.org/adf-2026-canli/

While in Türkiye, I had the opportunity to speak with CNN Türk and TRT Haber on rising humanitarian needs in Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, and across Africa.   We also discussed the crucial role of the @IFRC, in coordination with the Turkish @RedCrescent, in delivering life-saving medical supplies and humanitarian relief from Türkiye to Iran as needs continue to rise sharply.   Across every interview, our messages remained clear: needs are growing, aid must reach people safely, and humanitarian workers and volunteers must always be protected.   Thank you @cnnturk and @trthaber for the space.