On February 6,the Türkiye-Syria border region was struck by a powerful earthquake, resulting in extensive building collapses and severe casualties. Governments and non-governmental organizations from various countries promptly initiated rescue operations. In the city of Reyhanlı, near the earthquake's epicenter, a non-profit humanitarian organization established by Taiwanese individuals, the "Taiwan Reyhanli Centre for World Citizens" (referred to as the Taiwan Center), not only with stood the strong earthquake but also has become a shelter for disaster victims. How did the Taiwan Center come into existence, and how has it fearlessly faced threats from both war and earthquakes, gradually becoming a safe haven for the local community?
Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, a significant number of refugees have fled to neighboring countries in search of refuge. In Reyhanlı, located on the Turkish-Syrian border, the town's population of 100,000 has been inundated with 120,000 Syrian refugees, exacerbating preexisting societal issues such as poverty and inadequate resource infrastructure. Even before the earthquake, the Taiwan Center had been committed to improving the lives of the localpopulation. They designed humanitarian architecture tailored to their needs, offering support to refugees in their journey to heal and regain dignity.
How does a humanitarian organization from Taiwan establish itself in a border town fraught with social issues? Originating from a diplomatic aid project by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the municipality of Reyhanlı, Chen-Yu Chiu, the current CEO of the Taiwan Center, and a former employee of Bilkent University in Türkiye, unexpectedly took on the mission of building the Taiwan Center. In 2016, he resolutely dedicated himself to the research and construction project of the center.
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Read the article: https://www.wowlavie.com/article/ae2300155 (La Vie)
Organization & Position: Taiwan Reyhanli Centre for World Citizens
