The Communication Faculty's Young Communicators Community held a seminar titled "Earthquake and Humanity”
Coordinated by Muhammet Buğra Has, a student of the Communication Faculty, the event took place in Hall D of the 1071 Congress and Culture Center. Speakers included Mehmet Çağlayan, president of the Muş Mountaineering Nature Sports and Search and Rescue Association (MUDOSK), Dr. Şahabettin Mutlu, psychology faculty member at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Hayrettin Ayaz, head of the Journalism Department at the Communication Faculty.
MUDOSK President Mehmet Çağlayan, the first speaker, shared his memories and experiences from participating in search and rescue activities during previous earthquakes. Emphasizing the sensitivity of these operations, Çağlayan highlighted the need for those involved to remain calm throughout the action. He recounted his involvement in the rescue of Japanese volunteer Atsushi Miyazaki, who lost his life when the hotel he was staying in collapsed during the devastating earthquake in Van in 2011.
The second speaker, Dr. Şahabettin Mutlu, focused on the psychological aspects of earthquakes in his speech. Mutlu drew attention to the trauma that can arise, especially the shock effect after an earthquake. He pointed out that images on social media could magnify traumas and identified children, teenagers, and the elderly as the most vulnerable groups in the face of disasters.
In the seminar's final part, Dr. Hayrettin Ayaz discussed the literary reflections of the destructive effects of earthquakes. Ayaz explained how natural disasters, including earthquakes, have been a subject in both Western and Eastern literature. He highlighted the presence of Istanbul earthquakes in the works of many poets and writers, emphasizing that these events were also depicted in epic poetry. Ayaz shared excerpts from some of these epics.
Following the conclusion of the presentations, the seminar took a break and continued with a question-and-answer session. The event, which received significant attention, was attended by the Dean of the Communication Faculty, Prof. Dr. Tamella Aliyeva, and Associate Dean Dr. Abdulsamet Günek. The session concluded with Aliyeva's words of thanks and closing remarks.
