The Greek ambassador to Turkey and Greek rescuers were awarded on Tuesday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for their contribution to humanitarian efforts after the powerful earthquake of February 6 that claimed the lives of more than 50,000 people.
In a special ceremony held in Ankara, the Turkish president awarded an honorary medal to the representative of the Greek rescue team, Pyrago Thomas Krikelis, who was accompanied by the Greek ambassador Christodoulos Lazaris.
He also presented the Greek ambassador and the Greek embassy with an honorary plaque, thanking them for their crucial contribution to the rescue work.
Με τιμητικό μετάλλιο βραβεύτηκαν οι ελληνικές δυνάμεις που επιχείρησαν στην Τουρκία μετά τον καταστροφικό σεισμό των 7,8 Ρίχτερ από τον Πρόεδρο Ρετζέπ Ταγίπ Ερντογάν, στο πλαίσιο ειδικής τελετής που πραγματοποιήθηκε σήμερα στην Άγκυρα.
— Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα (@pyrosvestiki) April 25, 2023
6 Şubat depremlerinde fedakârlık gösteren yerli ve yabancı arama kurtarma ekiplerimize Üstün Fedakârlık Madalyası ve Nişanı takdim ettik.
Deprem bölgesindeki çabaları dolayısıyla her bir kardeşime şahsım, milletim ve devletim adına en kalbî şükranlarımı sunuyorum. pic.twitter.com/1o0oiH017n
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) April 25, 2023
“Today we are awarding medals to domestic and foreign search and rescue teams who made sacrifices during the February 6 earthquakes,” Erdoğan said at the presidential medal ceremony for outstanding humanitarian services.
Presentation of a Honorary Plaque to the Greek Rescue Team via its representative Fire Chief Thomas Krikellis by the Ambassador of Greece to Turkiye Christodoulos Lazaris, in recognition of the Team’s rescue operations in Antakya, February 2023. pic.twitter.com/e1ktaw728R
— GreeceInTurkiye (@GreeceInTurkiye) April 25, 2023
A total of 55,000 people, who became “the symbol of the struggle” after the earthquakes, will be honored with this medal.
Stressing that the twin earthquakes were one of the “most devastating” natural disasters, not only for Turkey but also in the history of mankind, Erdoğan added: “We pray that neither our country nor any other country in the world will face disasters like the one on February 6.”
“We don’t want anyone else to go through what we experienced,” he added.
See the video:
“We know who our friends were on the dark day. Personally but also on behalf of my nation and state, I would like to express my deep gratitude to you for your efforts in the earthquake zone. I would also like to thank all our foreign friends who responded to our call for help,” the president said.
Erdoğan added that 11,320 rescuers from 90 countries arrived in Turkey after the earthquakes and 60 countries and international organisations sent about 250,000 tents to house the affected, stressing: “We know all our real friends.”
“We will continue our efforts until the wounds are healed and the traces of the earthquake are completely erased,” he concluded.
Gençlerimizleyiz. #GençlikİçinHemenŞimdi https://t.co/csJOYljOa0
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) April 25, 2023
İşte benim ülkemin gençliği, işte benim milletimin gençliği, işte benim hayallerimin gençliği…
Teşekkürler gençler! #GençlikİçinHemenŞimdi pic.twitter.com/au0TVeVvgr
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) April 25, 2023
READ MORE: Turkey returns to normality: Çavuşoğlu made provocative statements about the Greek Islands.
