6 / 68
Since its foundation, Green Crescent has been fighting addiction in
Turkey and around the world in its efforts to protect human dignity and
grace. We discussed Green Crescent’s national and international projects
with Green Crescent President Prof. Dr. Mücahit Öztürk which is a
foundation that carries out its activities with this responsibility in mind.
Since its foundation, Green Crescent
has been putting up a great fight
against all kinds of addictions. Can
you tell us the story behind the
establishment of Green Crescent?
Addiction is a global problem that
has
negative
psychological
and
physical effects on individuals, and
that destroys societies and weakens
national economies. Despite our
awareness of the destructive effects
of addiction, the types of addiction
and the number of addicts are
increasing in Turkey and around the
world. This shows us that human
values are becoming more and more
problematic, that human relations are
degenerating and that addiction has
reached a critical point. It indicates
that in the 21st century, societies
will try to protect themselves from
addiction, both in material and moral
terms. Green Crescent was founded
in 1920 by esteemed intellectuals
who foresaw the rise of this threat
about a century ago, and who sought
to prevent the growth of addiction
during and after the war. Their fight,
which was against alcohol at the
beginning, grew in time to cover also
cigarettes, drugs and gambling, and
most recently, technology addiction,
as a recent addition. Since then,
all Green Crescent administrators,
employees and volunteers have
carried the flag of this righteous
fight, have continued the works and
activities of the organization with
this responsibility in mind and have
put tremendous effort into keep this
valuable asset safe. They are also
seeking to spread their fight around
the world and to make it sustainable,
with the understanding that addiction
is a problem for humanity as a whole.
With the help of National Green
Crescent organizations, more than
100 branches in Turkey, together with
their employees and volunteers, Green
Crescent carries the flag of the fight
against addiction.
Photo: Semih Akbay
PROF. DR.
MÜCAHİT ÖZTÜRK:
“ADDICTION IS A
COMMON PROBLEM
IN THE WORLD”
Prof. Dr. Mücahit Öztürk graduated
from the Hacettepe University Faculty
of Medicine in 1990. In 1997, he
completed his residency studies in the
Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine,
Department of Child Mental Health
and Diseases, and became a Child and
Adolescent Psychiatrist. He became
an Associate Professor in 2000 and
a Professor in 2007, and is currently
employed as a faculty member in the
Psychology Department of Hasan Kalyoncu
University. His publications include
School Phobia in 99 Pages (2006), Child
Psychiatry (2007), Children of Divorced
Parents (2008) and Impulsivity in Children
(2015). Prof. Dr. Mücahit Öztürk is the
current President of Green Crescent.
WHO IS PROF. DR. MÜCAHİT ÖZTÜRK?
4