Disaster Preparedness Capacity Development Workshop Held at Istanbul Nişantaşı University
A workshop organised with NADMEX explored disaster preparedness capacity. Public institutions, academics, and NGOs discussed volunteering, disaster communication, and support for survivors with special needs.
Hosted by Istanbul Nişantaşı University in cooperation with NADMEX and organized by the Department of Health, Culture and Sports, the “Disaster Preparedness Capacity Development Workshop” brought together public institutions working in disaster management, academics, local government representatives and numerous civil society organizations.
Opening speeches were delivered by Prof. Dr. Şükrü Ersoy, a member of the Presidency’s Local Government and Disaster Policies Board, and Abdulkadir Tezcan, Head of AFAD’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Prevention Department. Istanbul Deputy Governor Mahmut Hersanlıoğlu also attended and shared information about national disaster policies.
In the first session, moderated by AFAD Education and Awareness Department Head Recep Şalcı, AKUT Search and Rescue Association Board Chairman Serhat Akbel, ANDA Association Vice President Rümeysa Alkoç, GEA Search and Rescue Head Umut Dinçşahin, İHH President F. Bülent Yıldırım and SAR Search and Rescue and Emergency Assistance Association President Erdem Akın discussed “The Psychology and Sustainability of Volunteering.”
The second session, moderated by AFAD Disaster Risk Reduction and Prevention Department Head Abdulkadir Tezcan, addressed “Disaster Communication and the Role of New Media.” Speakers were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ülkü İlgi Eldem Anar, Head of Journalism at Maltepe University’s Faculty of Communication; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serhat Yılmaz, Project Coordination Specialist at Istanbul Aydın University’s Disaster Education Application and Research Center; ATV reporter Özlem Aktay; CNN Türk reporter Serdar Er; and Haber Global News Desk Chief Mücahit Topçu.
In the third session, moderated by Ahmet Akhoroz, Director of the Turkish Red Crescent Anatolian Disaster Response Center, Beylikdüzü Municipality Disaster Affairs and Risk Management Director Mehmet Metehan Çetintaş, Türkiye Association of Persons with Disabilities General Manager Burcu Dağ and Tohum Autism Foundation Senior Continuing Education Specialist Merve Elmaslı shared knowledge and views on “Responding to Special Groups: Disaster Survivors with Special Needs.”
With strong participation from public institutions, local governments, academia and civil society, the workshop contributed significantly to building a disaster-resilient society, strengthening interinstitutional cooperation and improving disaster preparedness capacity.
