Erdogan awards Azerbaijani man for collecting aid for quake-hit residents of Türkiye PHOTO

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced the awarding of the "Loyalty Award" (Vefa Ödülü) to Azerbaijani Sarvar Bashirli, whose picture of him in a shabby old car carrying humanitarian aid for earthquake victims in Türkiye went viral in the media.

In February 2023, a resident of Azerbaijan was among the first to start collecting aid for residents of the earthquake-hit zone in the brotherly country, and then personally took part in the rescue operation in Adiyaman, Türkiye, Azertag reports.

Speaking at the award ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, the Turkish leader said that the world rests on good people who are loyal to their country and society, striving to help everyone in need.

Bashirli was one of two foreigners honoured with Türkiye's "Loyalty Award" this year. The other is Khalid Nabian, a resident of the Gaza Strip.