Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova received today Fatma Meric Yilmaz, President of the Turkish Red Crescent and a member of the Council of the President of the Republic of Turkiye, accompanied by the President of the Macedonian Red Cross, Liljana Ristevska.
The President assessed the successful cooperation between the Red Cross and the Turkish Red Crescent, established in 1995, as a strong factor in building friendly Macedonian-Turkish relations.
According to her, increasingly complex humanitarian challenges necessitate greater international solidarity, coordinated aid and a shift from reactive to preventive action.
She pointed out that strengthening regional humanitarian cooperation, as well as sharing knowledge, experiences and best practices, leads to a more efficient, timely and appropriate response to crises.
Siljanovska-Davkova welcomed the expansion of existing joint projects and the initiation of new ones between the two national organizations, aimed at assisting vulnerable groups in both wartime and peacetime conditions. Fatma Meric Yilmaz spoke about the role of the Turkish Red Crescent and its international network, as well as the fruitful cooperation with the Macedonian Red Cross through numerous programs, donations and training initiatives.
She emphasized that their humanitarian activities are currently focused on individuals over the age of 65, as they represent the most neglected category of citizens.
Yilmaz also recalled the selfless aid Turkiye provided to the citizens of Skopje following the catastrophic 1963 earthquake, as well as the reciprocal Macedonian assistance provided to the Turkish citizens after the devastating earthquake in Turkiye in 2023. “A new school was built, which today bears the name “Macedonia””, she added.
She presented Siljanovska-Davkova with archival records and historical photographs documenting the aid provided by the Turkish Red Crescent during the 1963 Skopje earthquake.
