Yıldız Technical University was part of the delegation representing Turkey at the International Symposium on Natural Disasters and Search and Rescue Exercise held in Thessaloniki, Greece, with the participation of seven countries. Dr. Murat Ergenekon Selçuk, YTÜ’s Disaster and Emergency Aid Coordinator, contributed to the event by sharing academic expertise and participating in on-site practical exercises, thereby fostering regional cooperation.

Search and rescue teams from seven countries in the Balkan region, led by the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), gathered in Thessaloniki, Greece, from May 15–17, 2026. Organized by the newly established Balkan Countries Search and Rescue Federation, the International Natural Disasters Symposium and Search and Rescue Exercise was held with the aim of enhancing regional disaster response capabilities and developing joint response protocols.

The event was attended by volunteer search and rescue teams and experts from Turkey, Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Hungary, Kosovo, and Serbia. In this comprehensive program, which also included a five-person search and rescue team from the Edirne Provincial Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate operating under AFAD coordination, academics from Yıldız Technical University, Bursa Technical University, Sakarya University, and the Ministry of National Education, along with Greek experts, discussed disaster management, the climate crisis, and coordination issues.

Kahramanmaraş experience on the international stage

Dr. Murat Ergenekon Selçuk, Disaster and Emergency Aid Coordinator at Yıldız Technical University, participated in one of the symposium’s notable sessions. Delivering a presentation titled “Assessment of the Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes,” Dr. Selçuk shared insights on crisis management processes during large-scale disasters Turkey has experienced in recent years, as well as strategic lessons learned from the field, with international participants. Following the theoretical presentation, Selçuk also participated in field exercises conducted in the Halkidiki region of Greece, actively taking part in search and rescue drills alongside AFAD teams.

A New Step in a 14-Year Partnership: Joint Federation

The event also held significance in terms of establishing the disaster cooperation between Turkey and Greece, which has been ongoing for nearly 14 years, on a more institutionalized foundation. EPOMEA Turkey Representative Salih Meriç and Turkey Coordination Officer Sibel Mustafaoğlu emphasized that the efforts carried out under AFAD coordination have been systematized under the umbrella of a new federation established with the participation of six Balkan countries. EPOMEA Thessaloniki President Miltos Benakis noted that AFAD’s experience forms the foundation for this new structure’s training programs, stating that their next goal is to complete the certification process in accordance with International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) standards.

Earthquake Awareness in Thessaloniki’s Main Square

The symposium hosted activities aimed at raising public awareness of disasters in addition to training professional teams. As part of this, the earthquake simulation truck from AFAD’s inventory, which was dispatched from Izmir to the region, met with Greek citizens around the White Tower, one of Thessaloniki’s iconic landmarks. During the hands-on training sessions held on Sunday from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, the local population was shown the correct behaviors to exhibit during an earthquake.

Visit to the Consulate General and Atatürk House

The event, which concluded after three days of intensive training, presentations, and field operations, ended with diplomatic engagements. The Turkish delegation, which participated in the award ceremony organized as part of the drill, was hosted at the Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in Thessaloniki alongside academics—including Dr. Murat Ergenekon Selçuk, Disaster and Emergency Aid Coordinator at YTÜ—and AFAD teams. At the conclusion of the program, the delegation also visited the house in Thessaloniki where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born.