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The International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation (IRB) was established in 2000 with the intention of alleviating poverty, hunger, and illiteracy by providing humanitarian relief, education, and healthcare to populations affected by disasters both human and manmade. Originally established in response to the plight of refugees from Kosovo, the IBC has most recently expanded its efforts to provide for the humanitarian and educational needs of Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Founded in 2011 and monitored by the KPMG, the Syrian Forum is a secular consortium of six organizations that addresse the immediate needs of Syrians in crisis while preparing for a future Syria. The Syrian Forum gives individuals tools to navigate and lead their communities today in order to empower Syrians to form a decentralized democratic society tomorrow.

IHH is a humanitarian relief organization based in Turkey that works as first responders in conflict regions, impoverished regions, and areas hit by natural disasters. Beginning with Bosnia in the early 90s, IHH has provided refugees with basic needs as well as worked to maintain the dignity and rights of people regardless of race, religion or gender. IHH's mission statement relates to the fulfillment of humanitarian needs, to advocate for the people, and to provide humanitarian diplomacy.

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Turkey and the Syrian Crisis

Situated at the literal and figural crossroads of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Turkey has emerged as one of the world’s most important geo-political actors. Its role has become even more indispensable in light of the Syrian crisis and the failed Arab spring. This student-generated website provides information and analysis about civil society solutions to the Syrian crisis in Turkey through the following lenses:

Turkish Geopolitics: Turkey has led the way in absorbing Syrian refugee inflows and has spent an estimated $5.5 billion on humanitarian aid. This policy has been as admirable as it has been controversial and is seen as largely unsustainable. Explore this site to hear from practitioners, experts, and scholars on the role of Turkish leadership in the ever changing dynamics of the region.

Muslim Civil Society: Faith based organizations that operate in Turkish secular and civil society contexts have been a powerful force in Turkey’s domestic and international political landscape. Making up a diverse spectrum of religious orientations and organizational structures, they have been the country’s first responders to the Syrian refugee crisis. This site offers primary source information on these often overlooked groups.

Syrian Refugee Crisis: Declared as “the worst humanitarian crisis of our era” by the head of UNHCR, the Syrian humanitarian fallout far exceeds the capacity of development of relief agencies to provide help to the limitless suffering faced by the victims of war. Syrian civil society organizations are filling the vacuum through their work inside Syria and throughout the diaspora. Explore this site to learn more about the breadth and depth of some of these Syrian civil society groups.

OFFICIAL TRAILER!

Turkey Study Abroad 2015

In addition to the extensive content produced by students and available on this website, MA Candidate Ameer Muhammad documented the Study Abroad Think Tank's experiences as a group and on the individual level. Stay tuned for the feature-length documentary film to be released Fall 2015.

POLITICS OF MUSLIM CIVIL SOCIETY

Dr. Volkan Topalli discusses the regional and geopolitical importance of Turkey, especially in relation to the Syrian refugee crisis, as well as the opportunities available for GSU students in cultivating partnerships with Turkish universities and liaisons.

Sonia Kikeri interviews Ambassador Ford about the geopolitical situation in Syria and its neighbors, specifically in relation to the United States' efforts to form a cohesive policy in regards to the Syrian boarder, militia groups, and the Assad regime.

Sonia Kikeri interviews Dr. Recep Sentürk, the Director of the Alliance of Civilizations Institute hosted at Fatih Sultan Mehmet University in Istanbul, Turkey. His thesis on an open civilization society provokes questions and dialogue of how to address the management and promotion of diversity and coexistence in today's world.

Ameer Muhammad and Sonia Kikeri interviews composer Malek Jandali regarding the Syrian refugee crisis, specifically in relation to Syrian activists in diaspora, the lack of attention paid to the Syrian children displaced by the war, and the social and transcendent power of art and music.