Message to our friends in Türkiye

Dear Friends,

Our thoughts and sincere sympathy are with the valiant Turkish people who battle – again – with the tragic consequences of the devastating earthquakes that shook the Southeastern regions of Türkiye.

Countless tragic stories of life and death, of families that perished, of children saved and parents lost & vice versa, of human courage and endurance, of solidarity and compassion.

The crude pictures and videos on TV of human loss and devastation, of children’s faces emerging from the rubble, of exhausted rescuers continuing relentlessly their heroic task, will haunt us forever! We hope and pray never to witness similar human tragedy and devastation again.

We are confident that the courageous Turkish people will – one more time – react with tenacity and dignity to this natural calamity and restart their lives and everyday activities, always remembering and honoring the victims of today. We all stand ready to support them.

The Balkans & Black Sea Forum team