Eastern Mediterranean University (DAÜ) and the North Cyprus Junior Chamber International (JCI) organized an earthquake panel which was held on Friday, 28 April 2023, at 10:00 am, at the EMU Activity Center Hall. The Mayor of Famagusta, Dr. Süleyman Uluçay, also participated in the said organisation.
In his opening speech, the President of EMU Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (EMU-GİMER), Prof. Dr. Mustafa Tümer, emphasized that the participants would receive information on earthquakes from experts in the field, and stated that "earthquake is fate, but a building is not". Prof. Dr. Tümer mentioned that they had been through very painful days as a society and expressed his hope that the panel would be beneficial.
The 2023 President of JCI North Cyprus, Ali Yenen, welcomed everyone in his speech and drew attention to the fact that the earthquake issue would be discussed with experts in the field. Yenen thanked those who contributed to the organization of the panel.
The 2023 Vice President of JCI Turkey, Ahmet Öznur, stated that he had suffered losses from his family members in the earthquake disaster in Kahramanmaraş and emphasized the importance of such events. Öznur drew attention to the importance of scientific research and made statements about the need to be prepared for earthquakes at the maximum level.
The President of JCI Turkey, Fatih Katipoğlu, who spoke next, expressed his happiness to be present at the event and stated that JCI has been trying to support the process from the first day of the earthquake disaster. Giving information about their activities, Katipoğlu expressed his hope that the panel that would raise awareness and have an impact on all stakeholders.
In his speech, Mayor of Famagusta Dr. Suleyman Uluçay stated that Famagusta suffered great losses and great pains in the recent earthquake in Turkey. Dr. Uluçay stated that he also went to Adiyaman as the Mayor of Famagusta and also on behalf of his relatives, and emphasized that he also lost family members. Dr. Uluçay, who provided information about the events after the earthquake, pointed out that the biggest problem was the water shortage in the area. Therefore, Dr. Uluçay stated that as the Mayor of Famagusta, he requested the specification of gathering places before the earthquake drills to be carried out in Famagusta and emphasized that they aimed to specify the septic and fresh water wells in advance and to transport them to the gathering areas.
After the opening speeches, Burak Catlioglu, the Chair of the Istanbul Geophysics Engineers Branch of the Chamber of the Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and Senior Geophysics Engineer, gave a presentation titled "The Earthquake & Tsunami Threats and Risks of North Cyprus", Prof. Dr. Serhan Sensoy, the Vice Rector Responsible for Administrative and Technical Affairs at EMU, gave a presentation titled "What kind of precautions should we take in our buildings before the earthquake?" and Oguz Vadilili, the Chair of the Geology Engineers, Chamber of the Turkish Engineers and Architects (KTMMOB), delivered a presentation titled "The legislation in our country".
Entrepreneurship Training Offered with the Collaboration of EMU-GIMER and JCI
After the panel, a training seminar on what JCI is, entrepreneurship and leadership was organized with the collaboration of the EMU Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (EMU-GIMER) and JCI. All participants were presented with a Certificate of Participation at the end of the said training, which was free of charge.
Visit to EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın
Before the panel, JCI Turkey President Fatih Katipoglu, JCI North Cyprus President Ali Yenen, JCI North Cyprus Treasurer Mustafa Sagir, JCI North Cyprus Secretary General Kemal Ulaş Damdelen, and the Chair of the Istanbul Geophysics Engineers Branch of the Turkish Engineers and Architects Chamber (TMMOB), Burak Catlioglu, paid a visit to the Rector of EMU Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın in his office. The visiting party, who stated that they were extremely pleased to be at EMU, provided information about the activities of JCI. At the end of the visit, Prof. Dr. Hocanın presented the visitors gifts. During the visit, Prof. Dr. Serhan Sensoy, the Vice Rector Responsible for Administrative and Technical Affairs at EMU, and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Tumer, the Chair of EMU-GIMER, were also present.
