The huge earthquake destroyed not only buildings but the veins of the cultural diversity and treasures in Antakya. Servas Peace School Academy will mitigate the loss and even remake the earthquake area as a valley of knowledge and skills. 

It will be a permanent, year-round, sustainable, environment-friendly academy where children will discover the diversity of the earth. Adults will be able to join activities and volunteer as trainers. The academy will function as a Servas international center, too. 

In addition to the topics that emphasize Servas values, the academy will cooperate with local farmers, other producers, and human resources and include them in learning and sharing processes. Volunteers will stay with local families for maximum exchange opportunities. Now, we need to: 

• Search for funded land, or buy or rent a piece of land if possible.
• Build houses (ecological with local/modern architecture) 
• Invite volunteers to help with planning, organizing, and building 
• Start a donation campaign. 

By now, we have all heard about the catastrophic earthquake in southeastern Turkey and, in Syria. Radha Radhakrishna, President of Servas International, reached out to members in Turkey about the disaster. US Servas members have asked how they can help with this huge humanitarian crisis. Below are suggestions from two Servas Türkiye members. 

Message from Mehmet Ateş, coordinator of the Servas Peace School and member of SI Youth and families Committee 

This is Mehmet Ateş, coordinator of Servas Peace School in my village of Ekinci, Antakya-Hatay Turkey. The epicentre was in Gaziantep.  Gaziantep is around 200 km from Ekinci. Images from nearby town of Dyarbakir on TV shows how terrible it is. The problem is that the buildings are not earthquake proof, otherwise the loss of human lives would not have been so dramatic.   

The region is Antakya. The nearest airport to Ekinci is Hatay airport, which is now closed because the destroyed tarmac uplifted, due to the tremors. So, the runway has been closed for flight operations. 

My village and Antakya are 60 km far from the border with Syria. We have casualties but less than in the city center. Victims in city center urgently and desperately need more search and rescue teams. Secondly, heaters, tents and blankets. The best way to send help is to do it via reliable organizations who act fast to reach the earthquake zones: Turk Kizilay Is one we choose. Thank you …  Servas is a real solidarity... 

Message from Gülşen Elyak, National Secretary, Servas Turkey and member of SI Internal Audit Committee 

Dear Radha and all the Servas members who are so intent to help and who reached out immediately to let us know that we are not alone... our gratitude is indescribable. As Mehmet, Esra, Tuana and the other witnesses of this disaster point out, we really need help physically and spiritually. Thank you so much for giving your support so freely and so humanly.  

Unfortunately, hundreds of aid organizations appear after every bad incident, so we will share with you the aid channel we trust most.  Visit the  Ahbap  (Dude) website make a donation.