“GRANDPA QUAKE” LECTURED ON EARTHQUAKES AT ISLAMABAD PAK TURK SCHOOL
Prof Dr Ahmet Mete Işıkara, Former DG of Bogazici State Observatory visited Pak Turk schools along with a delegation of Turkish Red Crescent. Prof Isikara, who is affectionately called as “Grandpa Quake” owing to his tireless efforts to acknowledge the Turkish public opinion about the ways to protect oneself at the time of an earthquake, talked about the 1999 Marmara Earthquake and lectured to students about preventive measures before an earthquake, in addition to an exclusive cartoon movie on the topic. After the lecture, Prof Isikara supervised an earthquake evacuation drill that was practiced by Pak Turk students.
The
Turkish Red Crescent Delegation visited Islamabad Pak-Turk PrepSchool
and Girls Branches on their second day in Pakistan. Prof Dr Ahmet Mete
Işıkara was briefed by school administrators on educational activities
and later an exclusive programme was held in honour of the delegation.
The programme commenced with the national anthems of Pakistan and
Turkey; went on with songs and poems in Turkish. The end of the
programme was marked by “Ataturk’s Life” read by a student. After this
function, Prof Dr Işıkara gave a lecture on earthquakes and preventive
measures to minimize human and material loss. At the end of the lecture, an educational cartoon movie in English was shown to students to acknowledge them on the earthquakes. Students were rather astonished to see the main character depicted after Prof Isikara himself as Grandpa Quake. Answering questions of the press, Işıkara said, "I am immensely glad to have visited Pakistan. It is indeed a different feeling for all of us to be able to listen to our own national anthem and the life of the founder of Modern Republic of Turkey from Pakistani students in Pakistan. I have been deeply moved having witnessed them all.
Isikara mentioned that the cartoon movie was prepared in the wake of the 1999 Marmara quake and it was translated into English for widespread promotion of earthquake awareness. He also mentioned that they initiated for Government of Pakistan’s assistance to screen this movie in all schools in Pakistan.
Prof Isikara emphasized that Pakistan was nearer to the Alps-Himalayas Fault Belt, and that Pakistan was geographically vulnerable to earthquakes. He also mentioned that unless public awareness for earthquakes and prevention measures was not promoted across the country, heavy toll on precious lives and property would never decrease.
Prof Isikara touched upon the achievements of the Turkish Red Crescent and mentioned that the TRC braved a tough challenge quite successfully. He added, "The TRC, as one of the first medical teams to have reached the earthquake region, made a great contribution to the relief and rehabilitation of the affecters. The tent villages erected by the TRC is of great quality and order. Needs of the affected are met very swiftly and the paramedics are working with utmost dedication. From the very moment, Turkish paramedics won the hearts of the earthquake affected."
Prof Isikara’s visit to Pak-Turk schools ended with the remarks that he wrote on the PAKTURK Book of Honour.
