The Turkish Red Crescent, or Kızılay, marked the 155th anniversary of humanitarian service and global aid efforts Sunday.
In a message on Twitter, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated the aid agency on its 155th anniversary, calling it “the compassionate hand of our beloved nation in our country and all over the world.”
Erdoğan said he commemorates with gratitude all the volunteers serving humanity with heart and soul.
Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, the Deputy Chairperson of the Turkish Red Crescent, expressed her gratitude to all volunteers, donors and employees who brought Kızılay to this day.
“This goodness movement will continue its work forever without being limited by time and geography,” Yılmaz said.
Kızılay is the largest humanitarian organization in Türkiye, with an international network to help other nations in need.
It was founded on June 11, 1868, as the Society for Aiding the Wounded and Ailing Ottoman Soldiers.
Over the years, it has been called the Ottoman Red Crescent Society (1877), Türkiye’s Red Crescent Community (1923), Turkish Red Crescent Community (1935) and finally, the Turkish Red Crescent Society (1947).
The name Kızılay was given to the institution by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic.
The non-profit and volunteer-based social service institution provides unconditional aid and service and is a corporate body governed by special legal provisions.
Disaster management, blood donations, healthcare, first aid, international aid and immigration and refugee services are among the agency’s activities.
