Turkish Red Crescent

Turkish Red Crescent
Türk Kızılayı

Type	Charitable organization
Founded	1868 (as Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemiyeti) 1935
Headquarters	Ankara, Turkey
Website	http://www.kizilay.org.tr

Turkish Red Crescent (Turkish: Türk Kızılayı (official) or Kızılay (for short)) is the largest humanitarian organization in Turkey and is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The organization was founded under the Ottoman Empire in 1868,partly in response to the experience of the Crimean War, in which disease overshadowed battle as the main cause of death and suffering among Turkish soldiers. It was the first Red Crescent society of its kind and one of the most important charity organizations in the Muslim world^[1]

The Society is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based social service institution providing unconditional aid and service, and is a corporate body governed by special legal provisions^[2]

History

The organization was founded under the Ottoman Empire on 11 June 1868 and was named "Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemiyeti".^[2]

It later took on the names;^[2]

"Ottoman Red Crescent Society” in 1877,

“Turkey’s Red Crescent Community” in 1923

“Turkish Red Crescent Community” in 1935 and

“Turkish Red Crescent Society” in 1947

It was renamed Kızılay by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1935,^[2] after the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.

Beginning with the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78), the Turkish Red Crescent Society has provided medical relief to soldiers in all battlefields in which Turkey was present, through mobile and fixed hospitals, patient transportation services, hospital vessels, trained nurses and volunteers. It has provided humanitarian care regardless of nationality to all civilians affected by war. It has been involved in disaster relief and aid in natural disasters in Turkey. It has participated in international relief and response activities.^[2]

Examples of disaster relief activities include;^[3]

• 2003 Bam earthquake
• 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
• 2005 Kashmir earthquake
• 2006 Lebanon War
• Syrian Civil War

Activities^[4]

• Disaster management: Operations in 78 different countries in natural and human related disasters in the last 10 years^[5]
• Blood donations provided through 17 Regional Blood Centers, 65 Blood Donation Centers with more than 150 mobile blood donation vehicles^[6]
• International aid
• Health care: Hospitals in Konya, Kayseri and medical centers throughout Turkey^[7]
• First aid: 33 First aid centers throughout Turkey providing healthcare and first aid instruction. First aid training provided to a total of 100,000 people^[8]
• Immigration and Refugee Services: Assists the relevant public authorities in meeting the needs of refugees in Turkey, including shelter, health, and education.^[9] Runs 23 camps for the Refugees of the Syrian Civil War
• Youth & Educational Services: Projects aimed at youth to increase community awareness regarding disasters. Provides scholarships and runs youth camps^[10]

Gallery

• 

  A Bloodmobile of Turkish Red Crescent in Gazipaşa

See also

• International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• Hilal e Ahmar

References

1. "Red Crescent Archives (Turkey) - HAZINE". HAZINE. 2013-11-13. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
2. Kızılayı, Türk. "Türk Kızılayı | Türk Kızılay". www.kizilay.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
3. "The Turkish Red Crescent Society, from past to present". www.redcross.int. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
4. Kızılayı, Türk. "Türk Kızılayı | NelerYapıyoruz". www.kizilay.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
5. Kızılayı, Türk. "Türk Kızılayı | Türk Kızılay". www.kizilay.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
6. Kızılayı, Türk. "Türk Kızılayı | Türk Kızılay". www.kizilay.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
7. Kızılayı, Türk. "Türk Kızılayı | Türk Kızılay". www.kizilay.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
8. Kızılayı, Türk. "Türk Kızılayı | Türk Kızılay". www.kizilay.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
9. Kızılayı, Türk. "Türk Kızılayı | Türk Kızılay". www.kizilay.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
10. Kızılayı, Türk. "Türk Kızılayı | Türk Kızılay". www.kizilay.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-04.

External links

• Turkish Red Crescent official website (Turkish) / (English)
• Christopher Markiewicz and Nir Shafir, ed. (2013). "Red Crescent Archives (Turkey)". Hazine: a Guide to Researching the Middle East and Beyond.