Did you know that the founder of the Turkish Red Crescent was in fact Greek?
While it is commonly excluded from modern day knowledge, Greek doctor Marko Pasa (Markos Apostolidis Pitsipios) founded the largest humanitarian organisation in Turkey and his name is still mentioned in Turkey today.
Born on the island of Syros in 1824, Pitsipios moved to Istanbul with his family where he studied at the Medical Military Faculty.
In 1861, the Sultan Abdulaziz dubbed him the palace’s chief doctor and director of the medical school.
In light of World Red Cross and Red Crescent day on 8 May, Pitsipios’ great-grandaughter Despina Anata spoke with Greek news agency ANA-MPA, where she disclosed that he was “a great man and a doctor who founded the Red Crescent”.
Anata went further to disclose the fact that Pitsipios’ name is still spoke in Turkey today.
“His name is even used today in Turkey as a saying ‘tell your sorrows to Marko Pasha’.
This is because Pitsipios was a patient doctor who would listen to his patient’s problems for hours with great patience, and would always endeavour to find a cure for their condition, but to also reassure and calm them.”