A year has passed since the Marmara Earthquake  took place on 17 August 1999. Taking into account its devastating magnitude, the  tremor was certainly one of the worst natural disasters recorded in Turkey's and world    history.    One    year   after   the   disaster    which    resulted    in unprecedented  human  and material loss; as the pain is  felt  once  again and  the  bitter memories of the past are remembered, we would  like  to thank  the  international community for the unique solidarity that  it  has demonstrated towards Turkey and the Turkish people. 

The   Turkish   people   will   never  forget   the   generous   and   prompt assistance  provided  by more than 90 countries,  contributing  effectively to the mobilization initiated at national level to bring help to the  victims of  the  Marmara  Earthquake, the humanitarian and  financial  aid  they have supplied, the members of the search-rescue teams who risked their own  lives  to  save  lives and the support of  the  international  and  non-governmental   institutions   which   helped   heal   the   wounds   of    the earthquake survivors.

Our  friends  sent search-rescue and fire-extinguishing teams  and  saved lives,  provided medical teams and mobile hospitals, forwarded tents and prefabricated houses and helped the effort to meet the  accommodation needs   of   our  people,  dispatched  humanitarian  aid  to   alleviate   the sufferings of the earthquake survivors, they continue to implement long-term  projects aimed at the recovery of the earthquake region,  including construction of houses, medical centers and schools, in cooperation  with our  authorities. In doing so,they acted in an exemplary manner in  terms of humanity and solidarity.                                                                      

The timely and prompt response of the international community offered us   material  and  moral  support  to  overcome  the  first  shock   of   the disaster and constituted a "symbol of international  solidarity".

A  year  after  the  Marmara  Earthquake,  as  we  remember  those  who passed  away,  while  exerting extensive efforts to solve  the  problems  of the  earthquake  survivors  and to compensate the  economic  losses,  the friendship   extended   to   the   Turkish   people    by   the    international community in those difficult times remains a source of strength for us.

Taking into consideration the dimension of the disaster, it is obvious that the  full  reconstruction  and  rehabilitation  of  the  earthquake  stricken region   will require extensive efforts and considerable  time.  Therefore, we  would  like  to  express  our  gratitude  to  countries  and   institutions which   still   continue  their  activities  in  close  cooperation   with   their Turkish   counterparts   for  the  recovery  of  the  region   and   keep   on extending assistance to us even one year after the disaster."