TMMOB Holds Disaster Symposium

The Disaster Symposium, organized by TMMOB, has been held in-person and online at MMO’s Chamber of Mechanical Engineers Education and Culture Center in Ankara on April 20-22, 2022.

In-person symposium was held at Hall A, while the sessions at Hall B were completely online.

The symposium started with the opening speeches of TMMOB Vice President and Symposium Organization Committee President Selçuk Uluata, TMMOB Chairmen Emin Koramaz and Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş.

Uluata: “Symposium is not only a scientific platform for exchange of ideas, but also a reminder of pain experienced in the great disasters in our country.”

First, Selçuk Uluata took the floor on behalf of the Organization Committee. Following the acknowledgement, Uluata said, “In our country, when we talk about disasters, first of all we just think of earthquakes. We ignore other disasters we frequently experience. We feel the same helplessness in cases of natural disasters like flood, landslide, fire and storm, which also cause loss of life and property. In this symposium, we will underline that the disasters are not limited with earthquakes. We will seek for solutions to problems within a larger spectrum.”

Uluata stated that the TMMOB Disaster Symposium was not only a scientific platform for exchange of ideas, but also a reminder of pain experienced in the great disasters in our country. He further said, “Keeping the collective memory of past bad experiences imposes greater responsibilities on all of us in order to build a safer future. We invite everyone to take responsibility in order not to lose lives, beauty and wealth of the country in disasters.”

Koramaz: “Earthquakes are one of the major threats in our country.”

TMMOB Chairman Emin Koramaz stated, “The first symposium which aimed to prevent natural event to become disasters, to develop organization on risk management during disasters and disaster preparedness, was held in 2007. The discussions we had at our first Disaster Symposium, which was held when the social sensitivity caused by the 17 August earthquake decreased, and the local authorities neglected their responsibilities, made a significant contribution on shaping the Policies of TMMOB on the issue. Now, we are again faced with frequent disasters, and public institutions fall short of disaster preparedness, so we experience harsh results. Therefore, we are here together in order to renew our know-how and to review new scientific approaches and technical developments.”

Korkmaz stated that the disaster means earthquake in our country and told, “Earthquakes are one of the major threats, as they caused great destruction and loss of life in our history. After each earthquake, we hear epic narratives from the politicians. They give promises and say that wounds will be bandaged. They say permanent measures will be taken. But then the agenda changes and all these promises are forgotten. Rent-seeking wins over reason, science and technics, the requirements of engineering, architecture and city planning, as well as human life. There is no political stability. Please remember, after the Marmara earthquake, a tax was imposed in order to carry out some activities for minimizing the losses caused due to earthquakes. Just for using in case of an earthquake … It seemed a temporary tax, but it became permanent. Two new taxes, Special Communication Tax and Special Transaction Tax, were imposed and by the end of 2003, Special Communication Tax became permanent.  But, what happened to those collected taxes?”

Following the opening speeches, a panel, “The Role and Importance of Municipalities in Disaster Management Processes,” was held. Mutlu Gürler (Head of Department of Earthquake Risk Management and Urban Development at Ankara Metropolitan Municipality); Özlem Tut (Head of Department of Earthquake Risk Management and Urban Development at Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality); İsmail Derse (Head of Fire Brigade Department at İzmir Metropolitan Municipality); and Emin Madran (Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General) were the speakers at the panel moderated by Orhan Sarıaltun (TMMOB Executive Committee Member).

A total 11 sessions and 6 panels, with also online participation, were held during the three days of Disaster Symposium. More than 100 scientists and experts made presentation at the symposium held in two Halls.

For detailed information about the event and to watch the panel and presentation, please visit afetsempozyumu.