Dokuz Eylül University (DEU), one of Turkey's well-established higher education institutions, continues its exemplary solidarity after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023 and left the country in mourning. Delivering various social aid and support activities to the cities affected by the earthquake during the process, DEU heals the wounds by quickly responding to the needs in line with the demands from the region. Finally, DEU installed a container prayer room in Malatya, one of the provinces most affected by the earthquake, under the leadership of the DEU Rectorate and with the initiatives of the University's Construction Works and Technical Department. Dokuz Eylül University, which completed the masjid service in the Malet-3 Container City, where more than 2 thousand earthquake victims were located, in a short time and transferred it to Malatya Provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorate, added a new one to its service mobilization for the region. The opening program held in Malet-2 Container City on the anniversary of the disaster; DEU Rector Prof. Dr. Nükhet Hotar, İnönü University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kızılay, Rector of Malatya Turgut Özal University Prof. Dr. Recep Bentli, Kale District Governor Mustafa Aksoy, Arapgir District Governor Fikri Badioğlu, Malatya Provincial Deputy Mufti Abdullah Bekiroğlu, institution representatives, DEU Senior Management and the local people attended.
CAN BE USED FOR MULTIPURPOSES
Speaking at the opening ceremony, DEU Rector Prof. Dr. Nükhet Hotar stated that the Dokuz Eylül University Masjid, which has an area of 180 square meters, will meet an important need in the Malet-2 Container City. Malet-2 Container Stating that they had previously brought a training class and a Mobile Drinking Water Purification Unit to the city with the help of DEU, Rector Hotar said, “We continue to carry in our hearts the pain of the earthquake disaster we experienced on February 6, 2023, and to heal the wounds of the disaster with our first day responsibility. "Our project, which we opened today, can be used not only as a masjid, but also as accommodation in emergency situations, although we hope it will never be needed," he said.
Stating that the masjid, which was completed in 14 days, has separate sections for men and women, Rector Hotar said, “In our prefabricated masjid, there are air conditioning, heaters, interior and exterior sound system, Quran, Yasin-i Şerif, catechism, Elifba for our children. We also added a small library of 's and a fountain. We cut the opening ribbon of Dokuz Eylül University Masjid, which we built and put into service in a short time, together with our guests and citizens who participated in our program. "After the ribbon cutting, we toured our new service unit, which we hope will bring good things to our region, with our guests and citizens who participated in our program," he said.
WE TOOK YOUR REQUESTS INTO CONSIDERATION
Stating that the mosque was built in line with the demands from the region, Rector Hotar said, “As Dokuz Eylül University, we have been in the region from the first moment we experienced the great disaster and observed the needs on site. To date, we have provided a wide range of services to our disaster-affected cities, from healthy drinking water to shelter, from waste disposal to kitchen services, from health to education, from building stock inspections to psycho-social support activities. Taking into account the demands from the region, our Institution has provided another service, this time to enrich our spiritual world. During our previous visit to the region, our elders asked us about their mosque. We both made the necessary improvements in their mosques and built a new mosque here as needed. We hope that our mosque, which can serve up to 180 people at the same time with its large area of 180 square meters, will be beneficial to the region. We would like to thank our Construction Works and Technical Department for their efforts in the installation of our mosque. "Our Research University, which is at the top of Turkey with its initiatives in the field of social responsibility, will continue to support the cities affected by earthquakes under the leadership of our state," he said.
THANKS TO DEU
Speaking at the program, Malatya Turgut Özal University Rector Prof. Dr. Recep Bentli thanked Dokuz Eylül University for its support and services to the region from the first moment of the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. İnönü University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kızılay also pointed out the importance of the vital services provided by DEU to Malatya in this process and DEU Rector Prof. Dr. He thanked Nükhet Hotar for the historical steps they took in the region. Malatya Provincial Deputy Mufti Abdullah Bekiroğlu reminded that DEU carries out aid activities in many areas to the region and emphasized that masjid service is an important need for the region.
