Students, Faculty Raise Awareness, Support for Earthquake Relief

Update: Story updated on Feb. 16 to reflect a change of date for the informational event. 

The University of Alabama’s Turkish Student Association is raising funds to help those affected by the earthquakes that devastated Turkey and northern Syria on Feb. 6. More than 30,000 people have been killed and thousands more are suffering from the aftereffects, including those with ties to UA.

“In the Fall Semester 2022, there were 24 international students from Turkey enrolled at UA in addition to five faculty, staff and scholars from Turkey on UA’s Visa support,” said Charter Morris, director of International Student and Scholar Services. “These numbers don’t include the many Turkish students, faculty and staff who hold U.S. citizenship or green cards.”

The student group is asking for direct donations to the Bridge to Turkey Earthquake Relief Fund. They will also hold tabling events on the Student Center Plaza Feb. 15-17 and Feb. 20-21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day.

Additionally, faculty and students will be speaking at an informational event Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Yellowhammer Room of Gorgas Library. Attendees will learn more about how the citizens of Turkey and Syria, as well as UA community members, have been affected and how to support the organizations working on the ground in those countries.

“Martin Luther King III once said, ‘Whether it is a tsunami, or whether it is a hurricane, whether it’s an earthquake when we see these great fatal and natural acts, men and women of every ethnic persuasion come together and they just want to help,’” said Azize Ceren Satioglu, a student from Yalova, Turkey, helping to lead awareness efforts.

“13 million people were affected and over 30,000 people died. Survivors are seeking food and shelter. Please help them with your donations.”