Maintaining its leading position among NGOs as the first local association to operate in the field of asylum since 1995, ASAM enhanced and extended its 28 years of experience in the field of migration by including various areas that cross-cut migration.

ASAM Executive Director İbrahim Vurgun Kavlak, who spoke at the launch meeting held with the attendance of the implementing partners of the Association, including representatives from embassies, international institutions and civil society organizations, indicated that Türkiye is located in a geographical region where there is a significant level of human mobility due to its position. Kavlak expressed, “taking initiative in the face of human mobility stemming from various reasons, ASAM has found it necessary to expand its areas of activity”.

A More Holistic Approach in Accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals

On the other hand, Deputy Executive Director Buket Bahar Dıvrak conveyed that ASAM’s desire to expand its areas of activity not only stemmed from its extensive experience gained over the years, but also from the global, regional and national developments that Türkiye and the world is currently facing, in particular, the climate crisis. Explaining that they included the necessary expertise within the organization required for good governance, Dıvrak said, “ASAM will be providing a more inclusive framework for humanitarian response”.

“In Solidarity with All Those in Need of a Helping Hand”

ASAM continues to prioritize the field of migration, in which it has gained extensive experience, as an integral component. Having harnessed through the years a wealth of know-how and accumulated expertise and experience in a variety of fields, including but not limited to protection, needs assessment, education, livelihoods, health, awareness raising, social cohesion, disaster response, and emergency management, which are all essentially related to the main developmental concerns, ASAM also aims to form a more inclusive structure for the operations that will be conducted in the other areas of the development agenda with a rights-based perspective.

A New Logo, A New Era

ASAM’s new logo has been designed to underline these renewed areas of activity. Each color in the logo represents four main pillars.

The blue color in the bottom left of the logo, situated at the base, represents “migration”, the green color in the bottom right represents “sustainable development”, the red color in the upper right represents “humanitarian aid and disaster response”, and the orange color in the upper left represents “empowerment of vulnerable groups and protection”.

By keeping the “Protection” icon denoting two figures that has been used in the center of the logo since 1995, it is emphasized that the Association will continue to build and develop its 30 years of experience.

Renewed Mission at ASAM Towards 2023

ASAM intends to expand its experience and knowledge to other geographies with the purpose of mitigating the immediate risks and vulnerabilities while empowering the ones left furthest behind in the longer term.