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AFS Stands in Solidarity with Those Impacted by Earthquakes in Syria and Turkey

AFS News
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Our hearts and minds remain heavy with the continuing impact of the earthquakes and aftershocks that have devastated Turkey and Syria since the first earthquake hit on February 6, 2023. As of February 24th, over 50,000 people have been counted among the dead. 

Knowing that we have colleagues who call the impacted region home and whose work is centered in Syria and Turkey, we, as a professional society and group of concerned individuals, want to respond. There are at least 35 AFS members who reside in Syria and Turkey and more whose folklore work focuses in the region. We are keeping them in our hearts as they and their communities navigate this devastation. AFS Executive Board member, Meltem Türköz, who teaches at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul and whose work focuses on Turkish folklife, had the following to share: “So many souls gone and such sorrow. Cities are gone and will have to be rebuilt. The circles of local and cross-regional solidarity are tremendous. Many people I know from my community were search and rescuers. I’d been wanting to train, but now will definitely do so since it’s very seismic in Istanbul.”

There are many ways we as independent members can lend our support. AFS recommends the following to support earthquake relief: 

If you have a resource you would like to recommend, you may send it to [email protected]

Since the regions impacted by the ongoing earthquakes and aftershocks will face years of recovery and rebuilding efforts, we will periodically update members about evolving ways that you can support that work.

Sincerely,
The AFS Executive Board

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