Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) and Turkiye’s Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) have signed an agreement to jointly construct the Hayatı Sehir City for Orphans in Istanbul.
Expected to be completed in 24 months, the new city will accommodate up to 1,200 orphans affected by the Syria-Turkiye earthquake, as well as other orphans from different parts of the world. The foundation stone–laying ceremony is planned to be held later this month.
The agreement was signed by Faisal Mohamed al-Emadi, acting secretary-general of QRCS, and Durmuş Aydın, secretray-general of IHH. The signing ceremony was attended by Dr Mohamed Salah Ibrahim, director of Relief and International Development Division at QRCS; Said Tijani, head of International Development Programmes at QRCS; and a high-profile delegation from IHH.
Al-Emadi said: “We are proud to co-operate with a humanitarian organisation that works in many parts of the world. This partnership testifies to QRCS’s firm commitment to providing support and care for those in need, including the children who lost their families as a result of the earthquake, as well as other orphans from around the world. We hope that this integrated village will be a stable place for them to shape their own future and build normal lives”.
Apart from IHH, there will be co-ordination with Turkiye’s Ministry of Education and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality will hire experienced engineers for the construction works, which involve two phases, under the supervision of QRCS’s office in Turkiye.
Aydin thanked QRCS for its efforts to help the victims of the Syria-Turkiye earthquake, as well as vulnerable people all over the world. He considered the cooperation with QRCS on this extraordinary project as a “valuable opportunity to take care of orphans and create an appropriate environment for their upbringing, education, and development, thus offering them better future prospects and unlocking their potential”.
“This project will be a model of international co-operation to provide care and create opportunities for children in need,” he added. “This charitable work is an icon that will hopefully motivate others to pay more attention to such projects that are in the best interest of communities”.
QRCS, IHH officials at the signing ceremony.
