Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

21 February 2023

Turkey and Syria have been struck by devastating earthquakes, most recently the province of Hatay in the south of Turkey on 21 February. Shocking recordings show that hundreds of thousands lost their homes, and tens of thousands were injured or killed. MHB president Prof. Hans-Uwe Simon offers condolences on behalf of the university to affected individuals and their families and expresses his sympathy with those MHB students, researchers and staff who lost relatives and friends in the catastrophic events.

The hardship is tremendous in the disaster areas. This is why the MHB supports charity appeals initiated by students who suggest donations to the relief organizations listed below:

• MHS World e.V. – „Medical and Humanitarian Support e.V., short MHS”, is an independent association founded in Berlin, Germany. Chaired by Dr. Saher Khatib (MHB university hospital Brandenburg-Ruppin), the association provides voluntary medical and humanitarian support in crisis regions worldwide.
• STELP e.V. – The relief organization STELP is based in Stuttgart. The association purchases aid supplies from donations and transports them to crisis zones; other activities involve long-term support projects on site.
• Aktion Deutschland Hilft – an alliance of 23 major German relief organizations (Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund, AWO International, Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe, Malteser Hilfsdienst, and many others)

You find relevant tips how to help people in the affected areas and information for relatives on the website of the German Foreign Office: Internetseite des Auswärtigen Amtes. Students requiring support in crisis management may contact the MHB counselling service at: psychosoziale Beratung der MHB.