Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun said, "We are working with all our might towards the goal of making the 'Century of Türkiye', for which we are preparing with great enthusiasm, a 'century of communication' at the same time."
Presidency's Director of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, attended the "Disaster Communication Workshop" at the Directorate of Communications jointly organised by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications and the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).
Beginning his statement by expressing his wishes that the workshop will contribute to disaster management efforts, Director of Communications Altun remarked that communication has become an autonomous policy field, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has always placed a high value on it.
Pointing out that the Presidency's Directorate of Communications has been working with all its strength to develop, implement and coordinate Türkiye's strategic communication policies since the first day it was established as part of President Erdoğan's vision, Director of Communications Altun said, "We are working with all our might towards the goal of making the 'Century of Türkiye', for which we are preparing with a great enthusiasm, a 'century of communication' at the same time."
Noting that there is a serious strategic imagination, understanding and roadmap behind the efforts to institutionalise communication policies, Director of Communications Altun said:
"We call this strategic imagination and understanding the 'Türkiye's Communication Model', which is nourished by the deep-rooted heritage of our nation and statecraft tradition. Türkiye's Communication Model encompasses all aspects of strategic communication, from unity in state discourse to public diplomacy, and crisis management to combating disinformation. Disaster communication management constitutes one of the most important pillars of our strategic communication policy. Disaster communication, which is a critical component of the Integrated Disaster Management strategy, is an area in which we work in close cooperation, consultation and coordination with our institutions and organisations operating in the field, especially our Ministry of Interior and AFAD."
Underlining that every disaster at any level necessitates emergency response and effective process management, Director of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye has developed a strong capacity for emergency response in all situations, from wildfire to flood, earthquake to accidents, with the infrastructure they have established over the last 20 years.
Emphasis on "fighting disinformation"
Director of Communications Altun emphasised that specifically AFAD, which was created with remarkable foresight by President Erdoğan, has developed a globally followed Integrated Disaster Management system and stated, "We are proud of this system. Thus, our state's response to disaster regions has been prompt, effective, and comprehensive in addressing all needs, including search and rescue and infrastructure for shelters. After each disaster, our state mobilised all resources."
Director of Communications Altun noted that President Erdoğan deployed relevant ministers, particularly Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, to disaster-affected regions from the onset of the disasters, adding:
"Our President personally has visited the affected areas and coordinated the on-site efforts. Thus, while the wounds inflicted by disasters have healed, our citizens have not felt alone or abandoned. Not only post-disaster measures but also pre-disaster preventive measures have been strengthened. In addition to disaster preparedness, widespread efforts have been made to raise the awareness of our citizens. The Türkiye Disaster Response Plan has strengthened disaster and emergency preparedness in Türkiye. Moreover, we have realised together how vital it is to inform the public transparently and fight disinformation during a disaster. Under the coordination of our Ministry of Interior and the Directorate of Communications, we exerted significant effort in fostering cooperation and relations with all of our institutions in terms of disaster communication. During the earthquakes in İzmir and Elazığ, the wildfire in the Mediterranean, the flood disaster in the West Black Sea region, and the mining explosion in Amasra, we informed the public in an accurate, timely, trustworthy, and transparent manner. We also engaged in activities to fight disinformation. We have witnessed their significance."
"They sought to undermine the efforts with lies"
Director of Communications Altun stressed that disaster communication is not limited to communication activities in times of disaster and added, "A continuous and 360-degree communication approach before and after disasters is of utmost importance. This is why, as the Directorate of Communications, we educate the public, promote awareness, prevent disasters on the one hand, and contribute to risk reduction studies in accordance with our areas of responsibility on the other."
Noting that there is a high-level, round-the-clock coordination mechanism in place between the Ministry of Interior and other relevant public institutions and organisations, including AFAD, during disasters, Director of Communications Altun continued:
"We deliver all information and developments related to the disaster to the public in a transparent manner through a common discourse, from the state of the people affected by the disaster to the search and rescue operations carried out in the area, from the disaster's source, cause, and risk inventory, to the number of vehicles and personnel deployed in the area, from humanitarian aid sent to the disaster area to the psycho-social support units. Disasters and disaster management processes are highly newsworthy because they affect society and individuals directly. There may also be circumstances in disaster management processes where people's sensitivity to the event may be abused, resulting in information pollution."
In times of disaster, incidents of systematic and organised disinformation, manipulation, and black propaganda may increase. Unfortunately, in the past, we have witnessed unscrupulous attempts to use people's suffering as political fodder by portraying them in an unrealistic light. While our public institutions and organisations were constantly attempting to mitigate the effects of natural disasters, some people sought to undermine these efforts with disinformation and lies. But they did not succeed in this endeavour thanks to our efforts."
"We prepare the necessary plans together"
Noting that disaster communication has become an important aspect of the modern disaster management process, Director of Communications Altun emphasised that, for this reason, it was of utmost importance to facilitate the work of media members seeking the truth in disaster zones, and that they were doing their best to help them in this regard.
Stating that they have periodically shared information and official statements covering the latest developments through conventional and social media, Director of Communications Altun said that they prepared the "Communication Truck" in disaster areas in order to ensure that media members could continue their work without interruption.
Director of Communications Altun noted that, in addition to all these, they established the Disaster Communication Group as part of the "Türkiye Disaster Response Plan", of which the Directorate of Communications and AFAD are the primary solution partners, and said, "The educational aspect of disaster communication is also undeniable. In this context, we keep working to have communication faculties integrate disaster and crisis communication into their curricula."
Director of Communications Altun stated that they always had the support of the Minister of Interior Soylu and his team and that they were in communication with non-governmental organisations and government agencies at the highest level while preparing the necessary plans for disaster preparedness together.
"I think the workshop will contribute greatly"
Director of Communications Altun underlined that crucial subjects in this area would be covered during the two-day Disaster Communication Workshop and said the following:
"How should communication during disasters and emergencies be coordinated and unified? How can we stop the rise of malicious attempts and misinformation during crises? What actions should be taken to support media operations in disaster zones and satisfy the need of our citizens for more prompt and accurate news? What steps need to be implemented to foster more dialogue and knowledge sharing amongst institutions? We will concentrate on projects, events, and road maps related to these concerns during our workshop. I think that, in this area, our public institutions, non-governmental organisations, national and local media, and academia will contribute greatly. I would like to thank our distinguished speakers, participants and everyone who contributed to the organisation of the workshop. I pray for Allah's mercy on our citizens and martyrs who lost their lives in disasters. I would like to express my gratitude to our public and non-governmental institutions and media members for their selfless efforts in search and rescue, as well as firefighting during disasters."
Director of Communications Altun expressed his gratitude to Minister of Interior Soylu and his team for working tirelessly and staying on the ground in case of a disaster, and said, "I wish that our workshop will lead to auspicious results for our country and nation. May Allah Almighty keep our country, our people and humanity safe from all kinds of disasters and calamities."