Turkish Red Crescent honored for aiding Syrian refugees

By Ayse Yildiz

ANTALYA, Turkey

Turkish Red Crescent volunteers were honored on Friday by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for their efforts to aid Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Francesco Rocca, the IFRC’s newly elected president, handed the Turkish Red Crescent the Henry Davison Award in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya, according to a Red Crescent statement.

Rocca lauded the efforts of Red Crescent volunteers as praiseworthy.

In 2003, the IFRC decided to hand out the Henry Davison Award every two years to individuals or associations who are involved in initiatives to improve the capacity of national communities and serve to improve the lives of vulnerable people.

According to the UN, Turkey is the top refugee host in the world, as it is home to nearly 3 million Syrian refugees. This number accounts for over 50 percent of the 5.5 million Syrian refugees.

The IFRC General Assembly 7-day long global statutory meetings began on Nov. 5 and will conclude on Saturday.