By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
When the biggest earthquake in Türkiye’s recent history hit 11 cities including the province of Hatay, the whole world showed its solidarity with the thousands of people affected by it. The basketball community was no exception, with clubs, players, coaches, referees and fans all doing their part to help out.
At a time when the first set of support started to reach the affected families, the Turkish Basketball Solidarity and Education Foundation (BIDEV) quickly started to plan for a long-term solution for the thousands of people that were suddenly left without a home, all while receiving immediate support from Euroleague Basketball, together with its clubs, partners and associations. BIDEV’s “Basketball Village” project seeks to support those who have lost their homes due to the earthquake by installing 100 equipped containers in an area of 11,397 square meters. Inside these containers, there is basic living furniture and the necessary day-to-day utilities, such as a toilet, gas, water and internet. The “Basketball Village” will also accommodate specific social spaces for education, health care and sport, including one basketball court, which should be fully functional and ready for the arrival of the first families during April.
This initiative is taking place in the district of Belen in the province of Hatay, which was one of the most affected areas following the multiple earthquakes that hit Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023. These earthquakes claimed over 50,000 lives and left tens of thousands of people without homes.
“I would like to once again thank the solidarity of the Euroleague Basketball family for their reaction and the support offered to those affected by this terrible event,” Marshall Glickman, Euroleague Basketball CEO, stated. “Since the first earthquake happened, we have coordinated a general response to offer our support to all the victims who have lost their homes. I would like to express my gratitude to Hasan Arat and his team at BIDEV for offering us the opportunity to collaborate with a foundation that has deep local roots and a project, “Basketball Village”, that will make a difference for hundreds of families.”
Mr. Hasan Arat, BIDEV’s Chairman and Founding Member, said: “BIDEV started a new project with Polimeks Holding’s Chair, Erol Tabanca, one of the founding members of our Board of Trustees, TBF and TUBAD to build “Basketball Village” in the province of Hatay, specifically the district of Belen, with the aim of meeting the essential needs of shelter and hygiene for those affected by the earthquake which caused widespread destruction in 11 cities in the south-eastern part of Türkiye. The “Basketball Village” in Belen, Hatay will contribute towards overcoming the challenges faced in the acute period following the earthquake. After the construction of the “Basketball Village” and the fulfillment of basic needs, BIDEV will keep helping children and adolescents overcome their difficulties and heal through basketball training and some educative activities. We would like to thank the Euroleague Basketball family and Marshall Glickman for their support. It is noteworthy to see Euroleague Basketball supporting Türkiye as its long-term partner after such a big disaster.”
The “Basketball Village” project joins the long list of charitable endeavors already developed by the members of the Euroleague Basketball family with regard to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
Euroleague Basketball would like to encourage everyone to support BIDEV’s “Basketball Village” initiative by making a donation here