Dr. İbrahim Altan, Deputy Secretary General of the Union of NGOs of the Islamic World (İDSB), emphasized that humanitarian aid efforts carried out during times of crisis build an unshakable bridge of trust between societies.
The sessions held as part of the 20th Anatolian Gatherings in Ankara Kızılcahamam continue to host prominent figures in the fields of civil society and humanitarian aid. At one of the notable events of the program, Dr. İbrahim Altan, Deputy Secretary General of the Union of NGOs of the Islamic World (İDSB), met with participants. The experienced figure, who previously served in critical positions such as General Manager of the Turkish Red Crescent and Member of the Presidential Social Policies Board, made strategic assessments regarding the role of civil society organizations in the international arena in his speech titled “Crises, Humanitarian Aid: Volunteer Diplomacy.”
LET US PRESERVE PURE INTENTION
Altan stated that crises are sudden turning points that disrupt the normal functioning of individuals and institutions, citing the February 6 earthquakes as an example. Defining the acceleration of modern institutional humanitarian aid activities as beginning with the 2004 Indonesia earthquake, Altan noted that civil society has made significant progress over the more than twenty years since then. Emphasizing that the concept of volunteering, which forms the spirit of this process, means offering one’s time and effort for the benefit of living beings without expecting any material compensation, Dr. Altan drew attention to the importance of field teams carefully avoiding attitudes that could undermine this pure intention.
ACCURATE INFORMATION IS THE GREATEST STRENGTH OF VOLUNTEERS
In his speech, Altan devoted considerable attention to the concept of volunteer diplomacy, explaining that since civil society teams do not go into the field with an official state identity, they can establish a much faster and more impartial bridge of trust with local people. He stated that accurately conveying local information obtained from the field and mobilizing decision-makers in favor of humanity in crisis regions are the greatest strengths of volunteers, while also addressing the risks encountered in this process. He noted that institutions are obliged to provide regular psychosocial support to their personnel against dangers such as the politicization of aid, violations of data privacy, and burnout experienced in the field.
WE MUST BUILD LASTING CAPACITY
Recalling that the foundation of today’s aid activities lies in the Anatolian geography’s culture of foundations, guild solidarity, and communal cooperation, Altan said that the networks of solidarity established by our ancestors are being kept alive strongly today. Presenting field examples from a broad geography, ranging from aid sent to the Sultanate of Aceh throughout history to mosques being built in Gaza today, Altan argued that aid activities should not be limited solely to meeting urgent needs. He stated that the real success lies in building lasting capacity in the region after a crisis and maintaining the ties established with the local population.
