Cultural heritage is a vital part of a community's identity and history. Preserving it helps communities recover, maintain traditions, and rebuild their lives and livelihoods after a disaster.

Protecting tangible and intangible heritage will support communities in overcoming the traumas stemming from disasters, ensure the continuity of cultural practices that bind them together, revive traditional crafts and rebuild “life” again.

Your support will help to restore the region's small businesses and local markets by reviving traditional artistry, crafts and cuisines, all creating a once-again vibrant marketplace of cultures that people and tourists from afar want to visit.

UNDP’s “Save the Legacy” campaign gives individuals and institutions in and outside of Türkiye an opportunity to contribute to a visible demonstration of recovery and reconstruction. We all have a shared responsibility towards safeguarding the region’s cultural heritage for generations to come.

Your generous donation will play an important role in the restoration of damaged or destroyed historical structures. The process will adhere to established guidelines and common restoration practices, ensuring that the historical integrity of these structures is preserved. This includes using authentic materials and techniques whenever possible, and engaging skilled craftspeople with expertise in historical restoration. Additionally, regular inspections and assessments will be conducted to guarantee that the restoration work meets restoration standards and maintains the cultural significance of these cherished landmarks. Furthermore, essential machinery and specialized equipment crucial for the preservation and restoration of priceless historical artifacts will be provided through the funding.

However, the impact of your donation extends beyond physical restoration. It is about revitalizing entire communities. Your funding will facilitate the revival of livelihoods that depend on both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Traditional craftspeople, whose skills have been passed down through generations, will find renewed opportunities to practice and preserve their craft. Moreover, local tourism, often intertwined with these historical sites, will experience a revival, providing a sustainable source of income for businesses and entrepreneurs in the area.

In essence, your contribution will not only breathe new life into these treasured landmarks but will also be the cornerstone of rebuilding the very heartbeat of these communities. Together, we will ensure that the legacy of our shared cultural heritage thrives for generations to come.

Yes, the campaign features a thoughtfully selected collection of cultural assets, both tangible and intangible, that reflect the cultural and geographical diversity of the earthquake-affected area. These are; Arsameia Archaeological Site (Adıyaman), Gaziantep Castle, Mar Yuhanna Greek Orthodox Church (Hatay), Sarımiye Mosque (Hatay), Hatay Archaeology Museum, Historical Maraş Bazaar and intangible cultural heritage. However, it also seeks funding more broadly for the restoration of other tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the earthquake-affected region.

If you wish to allocate your donation to a particular site, kindly specify this in the comment section while making your donation. Without such specification, your contribution will be regarded as a general donation.

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Donations made directly to the United Nations Development Programme may or may not be tax-deductible in your country of residence. Donors in the United States requiring a formal acknowledgement from a US 501(c)(3) organization should visit https://www.every.org/undp/f/undp-turkiye-earthquake#/donate/card to make a tax-deductible donation to UNDP.

We use Every.org as our digital fundraising platform. Every.org accepts debit or credit cards, bank (only for U.S. accounts), PayPal, Venmo, cryptocurrency, DAF, stock donations and other mobile payment options (Apple Pay/Google Pay).

All online donations are in USD when the transaction is made. The funds are deposited into UNDP’s central bank and those funds are distributed to the Country Office in USD.