Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TOBB Board of Directors Members and TOBB Türkiye Sector Council Presidents attended the press conference held at TOBB Twin Towers on the subject.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said the following at the meeting: “We are involved in the campaign with our Chambers, Commodity Exchanges, Sector Councils, Women and Young Entrepreneurs Councils, in other words, our entire community. They will take the lead in 81 provinces and 160 districts and ensure that it spreads locally. And now we invite all our business world and benevolent citizens to this mobilization. Let us not forget that when we join hands, there is no difficulty that we cannot overcome. This is the day to unite, to be together, to bond. This is the Day of Unity. Come and donate a block, an apartment or a brick. May our spirit of solidarity be everlasting. Let's show that we are a nation. Let's support our cities to get back on their feet. As we stated in our campaign slogan, let's all give a hand together, let's build a house. With your support, let us be a hope for the earthquake victims' future.”

- TOBB and the business world mobilized for the earthquake zone from the first day

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu, reminding that more than 50,000 lives were lost in two major earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, said that as in every national issue, after this earthquake, chambers and commodity exchanges under the roof of TOBB, sector councils, women and young entrepreneur councils were rapidly mobilized and acted in a great mobilization.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “To date, we have shipped 6 aircraft, 7 ships and 4,157 trucks and 725 trucks of relief materials, as well as 5,699 tents, 1,418 containers, 551 construction equipment and mobile cranes to the region.We have provided approximately 6,000 tents and 3870 containers to provide temporary shelter. Our Services Sector Council established food kitchens at 24 points and distributed hot meals to 3.5 million people. Currently, in 5 tents set up in the region, we continue to offer 4 hot meals including iftar and suhoor. By meeting with construction material manufacturers, we have committed to fixing prices for construction materials to be used in the houses to be built in the earthquake zone. We have started 4 projects to revive the economy of the region. We matched our companies that want to buy goods from the earthquake region with the producers in the earthquake region. We have contributed to the purchase of agricultural and food products that remain in the hands and fields with national food retailers. By agreeing with e-commerce marketplaces, we ensured that commissions were not taken from sellers in the earthquake area. We continue to provide Technical Support for companies whose machines have been damaged in the earthquake region. We will heal our wounds and restore our cities affected by the earthquake.”