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What are the fields of activity of
the IGCF around the world? Could
you tell us briefly about its vision
and mission?
The IGCF takes its mission and vision
from the Turkish Green Crescent,
with the only difference being its
global nature. Established based on
Turkish legislation, the Turkish Green
Crescent conducts prevention and
rehabilitation activities in Turkey in
its fight against alcohol, cigarette,
tobacco, technology and gambling
addictions. The IGCF, on the other
hand, promotes these activities of the
Green Crescent in the international
arena through its members, i.e. the
National Green Crescents. However,
from the viewpoint of the IGCF, there
is no difference between the Turkish
Green Crescent and the other National
Green Crescents; accordingly, all Green
Crescents are independent NGOs.
As an international superstructure,
the IGCF works with the National
Green Crescents to coordinate its
works, based on the answers to such
questions as which addictions prevail
in different countries? Which methods
can be used to fight against such
addictions? Can successful methods
be applied in other countries? Which
studies can be conducted collectively
by the National Green Crescents? And
what issues should be addressed at
international congresses?
What is the IGCF’s approach
to national and international
cooperation?
The IGCF is not, and has no intention
of becoming, a member of an
international organization. It is
unimaginable for a federation that is
to operate in more than 100 countries
in the near future to work under any
association. In any case, the IGCF
collaborates with all organizations in
any country with which its members
cooperate. Accordingly, from the
viewpoint of the African Union, the
EuropeanUnionandtheUnitedNations,
it cooperates with the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe
and the South Pacific Association
through its National Green Crescents.
The IGCF may cooperate with other
international organizations, but it will
never be a member of or work under
the roof of other organizations.
What is the place and importance
of the IGCF in the world in the fight
against addiction?
I believe that the world needs the
Turkish Green Crescent due to the
integrated and international approach
it adopts in the fight against addiction.
There is no other NGO in the world that
is able to grow so fast. This growth is
attributable to the fact that all of the
Green Crescent’s works are based on
science, and that there is a significant
need for an integrated approach in
the fight against addiction in every
part of the world. In every country,
we receive crucial support from the
highest levels, from heads of state and
government members, and from NGOs
and universities, in the establishment
of National Green Crescents. That is
because we treat every country and
every person with the same sensitivity,
with no discrimination. Another
important reason for the support we
enjoy is the Green Crescent’s crucial
scientific-based studies and projects
in the fight against addiction, which
are admired by other countries.
Furthermore, the Green Crescent
and its works are recognized by such
well-established
organizations
as
the United Nations. The fact that
the Turkish Green Crescent is an
international organization is another
reason for such interest.
Founded under the leadership of the
Turkish Green Crescent, the main
goal of the IGCF is to improve the
capacity of National Green Crescents
in every country in which we fight
against addiction. The IGCF maintains
a leading role when it comes to
d#sseminating
our
integrated
approach to the fight against
addiction, ensuring that the National
Green Crescents work collectively in
the fight against addictions all around
the world, working in a stronger and
more decisive manner.
The IGCF has members in
miscellaneous countries. How do
you fight against addiction while at
the same time working with such
diversity?
Unfortunately,
countries
are
classified based on their economies,
development levels or regimes.
However, we embrace everyone with a
human-oriented approach, occupying
ourselves
with
other
people’s
problems, and without applying
classifications. That’s why we are
respected in all countries and receive
so many compliments in our fight. The
Green Crescent is very popular around
the globe, which indicates the leading
role of the IGCF, and shows us just how
many people we have reached.
Does the IGCF have a match in the
world?
There is no federation or international
organization in the world that fights
against addiction in an integrated
manner. In fact, both the IGCF and
the Turkish Green Crescent are firsts
in the world. The Turkish Green
Crescent is usually compared with
International Red Cross and the
Red Crescent Movement in terms
of its organizational structure and
activities, although such a comparison
is not necessarily accurate. Due to
their nature, these institutions work
very closely with state authorities and
conduct their activities in line with
their share of duties during war and
peace periods. From this perspective,
the Turkish Green Crescent and the
IGCF differ from these institutions.
The IGCF’s intellectual
foundations are based on the
Turkish Green Crescent, the
oldest and best -established
organization in the world in the
fight against addiction. Today,
more than 70 National Green
Crescents are actively working
under the roof of the IGCF.
The IGCF aims to coordinate
the National Green Crescents
in different countries around
the world, to share experience
and knowledge, and to fight
addiction around the world
with an integrated approach
and on a scientific basis.
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