As forest fires continue threatening Turkey, countries have lined up to offer their condolences, messages of solidarity and airplanes to help the country fight the fires.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said in a statement that a fund drive has been officially approved to collect money after legal applications.
Noting that the nation has unified in the wake of the forest fires, Hisarcıklıoğlu added that they collected a sum of TL 15.5 million (over $1.7 million) in a single day.
“No matter what their political views are, people have united for a cause,” he said.
Meanwhile, Turkish Red Crescent volunteers surprised two Azerbaijani soldiers with birthday cakes to boost their morale.
The 25-year-old Nifteliev Yusif and 32-year-old Hemidli Behram went to the Turkish Red Crescent coordination center in southwestern Muğla province’s Menteşe district to speak to their families over video call. Upon learning about their birthdays, Turkish Red Crescent volunteers surprised the two with birthday cakes complete with lit candles.
The Menteşe branch chairperson of Turkish Red Crescent Kenan Gürbüz said in a statement that Turkey is grateful to the Azerbaijani people for their efforts to extinguish the fires.
“These birthday celebrations have been a rare opportunity to smile during these trying times,” he said.
