Professors from Istanbul Technical University (ITU) stand with Emergency Management Institute (EMI) officials in front of the National Civil Defense Memorial.

The distinguished visitors from Turkey were at EMI to attend a Continuity of Operations course and to participate in the annual EMI Higher Education Conference.  A FEMA-Turkey partnership was concluded after the devastating earthquake in Turkey in 1999.  Under this agreement, funded by the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), EMI delivered 21 train-the-trainer courses to Istanbul Technical University (ITU) faculty in 2000.   Subsequently, ITU faculty traveled to EMI for resident courses for several summers.  Two additional courses and a seminar were delivered in Istanbul in 2004.  ITU established a Center of Excellence for Disaster Management, basing its expertise on the EMI training received.  ITU has successfully completed many emergency management projects and training offerings, published 17 books using EMI materials, and established a Master of Science in Disaster Management program, to mention just a few of their many accomplishments.  The partnership culminated in December 2004 with the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, the Director of the Turkish Emergency Management Directorate and other dignitaries to the White House, FEMA headquarters and EMI on emergency management-related issues.  Although the project has been officially completed, the ITU Center of Excellence and EMI staff continue to exchange advice, share products, and maintain professional ties.  Muhammed Sahin, one of the ITU professors from the group originally trained by EMI in emergency management, was just made President of ITU this July.  Standing right to left: Prof. Hikmet Iskender, Prof. Levent Trabzon, John Peabody, EMI Readiness Chief, Vilma Milmoe, Deputy Superintendent EMI, Prof. Alper Unlu, Director of the ITU Center of Excellence for Emergency Management, Arzu Irk and Fatih Yaman, ITU Center staff, and Tom Gilboy, EMI