SANLIURFA, Turkey
Turkey has outpaced many countries in terms of humanitarian aid distributed across the world, taking sides with destitute people regardless of their language, religion, race or sect.
Turkey has embraced Syrian refugees fleeing civil war, Palestinians suffering Israeli offensives in Gaza, Ezidis awaiting aid due to advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Syrian Kurds fleeing clashes between ISIL militants and Kurdish fighters in the Tukish-Syria border town of Kobani.
Turkey has distributed a huge amount of humanitarian aid worldwide and has even outpaced the U.S., which is second only to Turkey.
Fuat Oktay, the head of Turkish relief agency AFAD, said Turkish people throughout history have been well-known for their charitable traits.
"Turkey reaches all people who have a problem and is thanked for its assistance," said Oktay.
Touching on the UN's report that shows the countries which aid the most across the world, Oktay said the most generous countries were U.S., U.K. and Turkey respectively in 2012 and 2013.
"But, according to the numbers in 2013, when we look at gross national product, Turkey is the country which provided the most assistance," said Oktay.
"Turkey is not only in Syria and Iraq, but also in the Philippines, Bosnia and Serbia as well as Gaza, Somalia and Africa," he added.
Turkey will continue to extend its hand to oppressed peoples, said Oktay, adding that Turkey will host the World Humanitarian Summit, an initiative of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in 2016.
"Turkey will present its message [on humanitarian aid] to all states and nations at the summit," he said.
Turkey has granted millions of dollars to Syria and Iraq as well as other countries hit by crises or natural disasters since 2012.
