ISTANBUL - Turkish State Minister Nimet Cubukcu said on Saturday that states had to assume more important social responsibilities because of the social problems and demands posed by globalization process.
Delivering a keynote speech at the opening of World Congress of Muslim Philantropists, Cubukcu said the congress would lay the foundation of the bridges between the philantropists and would be a means to comprehensive cooperation and new solutions to meet the needs of the era.
Cubukcu said humanitarian values like love, kindness, and responsibility constituted the core of solidarity activities, and indicated that, "throughout the history of humanity, all the religions and cultures extolled good deeds, empathy and beneficiary.
Cubukcu said, "when we consider the wars, occupations, migration, terrorism, hunger, poverty, human smuggling and violence against women, the need to exert more efforts to get well organized and produce more influential solutions appear.
"There are problems in Turkey caused by rapid social change, urbanization, and migration. Some of those are poverty, changes in family relations and social values, harmonization problems, unemployment, and illiteracy. Solution of these problems, which the individuals and groups could not cope with on their own, requires cooperation and contribution of the state, local administrations, universities, international organizations and NGOs.
WCMP is a global initiative working with humanitarians and institutions to mobilize human and financial resources in addressing critical challenges facing the world today.
(AY)