Turkish Red Crescent marks 155th anniversary

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish Red Crescent, or Kizilay, marked its 155th anniversary on Sunday.

In a message on Twitter, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 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.”

Erdogan said he commemorates with gratitude all the volunteers who have been serving humanity with heart and soul.

Fatma Meric Yilmaz, deputy chairman of the Turkish Red Crescent, expressed her gratitude to all volunteers, donors and employees who brought Kizilay to this day.

"This goodness movement will continue its work forever without being limited by time and geography," Yilmaz said in a statement.

Kizilay 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 Kizilay was given to the institution by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic.

The non-profit and volunteer-based social service institution is providing 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.