Under the leadership of our Presidency, photographs depicting the destruction caused by the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş were displayed in the United States Congress building.
The Presidency's Directorate of Communications is holding a series of panels and meetings in the US, on April 16-21, 2023, on the earthquakes that struck Kahramanmaraş and are described as the "disaster of the century".
As part of these efforts, the Directorate opened the Disaster of the Century Photograph Exhibition at the Rayburn building of the Congress, which featured over twenty photographs depicting the devastation caused by earthquakes.
At the exhibition's opening, Türkiye was represented by Türkiye's Ambassador to Washington, Hasan Murat Mercan, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information, and Technology and AK Party Konya Deputy, Ziya Altunyaldız, the General Director of Earthquake and Risk Reduction at AFAD, Prof Orhan Tatar, members of the Presidential Security and Foreign Policy Council, Prof Çağrı Erhan and Prof Nurşin Ateşoğlu Güney and Deputy Director of Communications Assoc. Prof Çağatay Özdemir.
Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina, co-chair of the Turkish-American Friendship Group in the US Congress, and Representative Pete Sessions of Texas also attended the exhibition.
At the exhibition, attended by many people from the Turkish-American community, Deputy Altunyaldız said that the earthquakes that affected 11 provinces, especially Kahramanmaraş, on February 6 were unique, but efforts to heal the wounds in the earthquake continued.
Altunyaldız thanked the South Carolina Representative and recalled that the House of Representatives adopted the Draft Resolution conveying condolences and expressing appreciation for the support of the United States to the people of Türkiye and Syria affected by the earthquakes due to Wilson's efforts.
Wilson expressed that he was pleased with the passage of the Resolution and emphasised the longstanding alliance between the two nations.
In his statement, Sessions said, "Today, we remember a day marked by not only devastating earthquakes but also aftershocks. We should remember those who have dedicated their lives to helping others with gratitude."
