THE SPIRIT OF HALIL IBRAHIM NOW BECOMES A GUIDING SPIRIT FOR THE WHOLE REGION
 


NGO's Discussed humanitarian relief and development issues at a Festival organized by Şanlu Urfa Municipality as part of “Halil Ibrahim Sofrası” (Halil Ibrahim Dinner Table) Week. As a historical spiritual leader of the region Halil Ibrahim was known for his charitable activities and sharing food with the needy people in the region. It is a Turkish custom that needy people and even foreigners and wayfarers who happened to be in the vicinity are invited to the dinner tables.

The Governorship of Şanlı Urfa has made a historical change in organizing festivals. While in other municipalities there are numerous festivals without much substance, it invited several humanitarian relief and aid foundations to a seminar and a festival which stressed upon the basic characteristics of the Turkish people as expressed in charity, solitarity and public service.

International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation, Light House Association, İHH, Life Spring Association (Can Suyu Derneği), and Isn't There Anybody (Kimse Yok mu) Association were all invited as sponsors of the Halil İbrahim Sofrası Solidarity Week.

Several municipalities, NGO's, and associations displayed their activities on designated stands and helped visitors at the same time, during the week of June, 9-11, 2007.

IBC-International Blue Crescent was the first foundation in the parade.

Our Foundation's activities were displayed.


IBC gave priority in two activities: 1000 guidebooks which helps the students who are preparing to take University and middle school exams published by the BİL Educational Institutions were distributed to the needy students.

In addition, First Aid experts of the IBC have demonstrated several life-saving first aid practices with volunteers on site. The importance of first aid applications were emphasized to the people of Şanlı Urfa.

Other foundations distributed packages of goods and helped serving of the traditional “Pilav”..

Our Foundation distributed guide boks to prepare the students to the University entrance exams and informed the people with first aid demonstrations.

In the past with prayers on, now with modern techniques..first aid demonstrations at our stand


The parade from the Government Building to the Balıklı Göl (Lake with fish!) was very colorful and cheerful. A man who dressed up as Nasreddin Hodja threw candies to the people from the Halil Ibrahim Cauldron. The Cauldron which was carried to the center of the ceremony was lid by the Governor of Şanlı Urfa, His Excellency Mr. Yusuf Yavaşcan. Food was distributed to the public from the cauldron during the week. In addition, a photographic exhibit depicting the activities of the participating foundations was also displayed.

The contest which was organized by the Şanlı Urfa Governorship as part of the Halil İbrahim Sofrası event received big interest…A jury formed by the members from several foundations and chaired by the Deputy-Governor Mr. Yıldıray Malgaç distributed prizes in six branches of humanitarian solidarity and public spirit projects. International prize for solidarity prize went to Earth Doctors Association for their Project in helping the women in Niger. The prize for an international event went to Bayrampaşa Municipality for its International Ramadan Event. The Most Efficient Project prize went to İstanbul Municipality for its “Home Care” Project.

Events held in Halil İbrahim Sofrası Solidarity Week created great interest and well attended.

His Excellency Governor Yavaşcan visited our stand.


Our Children Award went to Greater İzmir Municipality's “Big Brother/Big Sister” Project which promotes university students to become personal coach of poor children in their education.

Many other projects developed and implemented by various Social Assistance and solidarity foundations elsewhere also received prizes in different categories. There were 63 projects in total.

Governor Yusuf Yavaşcan assessed the Congress as an important platform to discuss and evaluate the standards of humanitarian aid and relief activities. The Governor also mentioned that this gathering is an important beginning of getting together members of several Foundations which would increase the coordination among many projects.

The Deputy Director of International Blue Crescent, Mr. Muzaffer Baca in his speech on “Principles and Standards of Humanitarian Aid” said that many international foundations and the UN aim at setting up certain standards in aid programs.

Mr. Baca summarized these standards in general terms as, higher impact with minimum finance, making sure that helps reach really needy people, taking into account that the honor and integrity of people kept intact, and every bit of action and spending is recorded in details.

The presentation of a paper by Mr. Baca on “Principles and Standards of Humanitarian Aid” raised great interest.

Governor Yavaşcan presented the plaquettes to the representatives of the guest organizations


Mrs. Nermin Akyıl, Department Head, Projects Development and Assessment Department of General Directorate of Social Programs and Solidarity, stressed upon the importance of coordinating humanitarian aids programs run by different organizations. She mentioned that, sometimes same people get similar help from various organizations. This would hinder the chances of really needy people to get their share of the help. She also mentioned that her department is trying to establish a network program which shows who gets what. However, Mrs. Akyıl complained that many municipalities and foundations are reluctant and non-cooperative in sharing their list of people who receives help. Meanwhile, some members of the NGO's and municipalities while giving examples of what they do, they also mentioned that they need help.

In order to make The First Social Solidarity Week, which revitalized the spirit of Halil Ibrahim Sofrası, as an international event next year, a committee was formed among the representatives of several foundations.

In summary, this event organized by the Governorship of Şanlı Urfa may increase the involvement of non-governmental organizations into social and public projects and improve the gobal and regional peace, development, and solidarity not only in Turkey but also in the region. It may increase the cooperation among several NGO's doing similar services thus making them more effective and efficient.
 
Added: 29/06/2007