H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to Prof. Dr. Fatma Meriç YILMAZ, the President of the Turkish Red Crescent. She extended her congratulations to H.E. YILMAZ on her appointment, while expressing the intention to explore further opportunities towards strengthening the existing ties between SESRIC and the Turkish Red Crescent.

The Turkish Red Crescent, an affiliate of the International Red Crescent and association of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), provides vital assistance to vulnerable communities. It grants aid during crises, emergencies and disasters to alleviate suffering promote resilience and uphold the values of humanity, solidarity and impartiality.

SESRIC, in concert with its esteemed international partners, has been actively engaged in extensive research studies and organized awareness-raising events. These initiatives have been carried out within the framework of various programmes, including the Social Development Capacity Building Programme (SD-CaB), Poverty Alleviation Capacity Building Programme (PA-CaB), IbnSina Health Capacity Building Programme (IbnSina-CaB), and Disaster Risk Management Capacity Building Programme (DRM-CaB), among many others.

One of the key areas of focus for SESRIC is conducting capacity-building training activities. These training programmes aim to enhance the capabilities and knowledge of professionals from member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in various sectors. The Turkish Red Crescent has actively participated in workshops and meetings organised by SESRIC, which have proven to be valuable platforms for knowledge exchange and initiatives that benefit the OIC countries.

Among the notable events where the Turkish Red Crescent has actively engaged with SESRIC, the Workshop on the Role of NGOs in the Implementation of OIC Strategic Health Program of Action 2014-2023 and the International Workshop on "Improving Humanitarian Action in the OIC Member Countries" can be included. These workshops have facilitated discussions and the exchange of best practices among experts in the field of humanitarian action and health-related initiatives.

The courtesy visit concluded on a positive note, with both parties discussing possible areas for future collaborations, building upon the existing strong partnership between SESRIC and the Turkish Red Crescent to seek ways to address the existing crises and conflicts faced by the OIC countries.