This year, as contribution from us at the UNDP to the main theme of TED X Reset event of becoming "+1", I had the opportunity to speak, with excitement, at Maslak TİM Show Center on 27 April 2019. With the inspiration I got from the radiant audience sitting in their chairs to acquire new knowledge and perspective and to almost get a "reset", I told them, by referring to my own personal story, what we must do for development in spite of the refugee situation in our hands…

As ultra-marathon runners, we challenge ourselves and life by running, we push the limits. While doing so, we move on two main philosophies: “finishing” and “racing ourselves”. That is why, it is very important to know yourself and accept.

Marathon requires long-term preparation and strategic planning when the race day comes. At the end of the run the effort that was put in and the distances covered grow and enrich the runner. This great feeling almost creates an addiction, we want to sustain it and we keep putting in our effort.

Long term running creates a resilient soul and body. In a way, it develops the person.

So, really, what does marathon to do with sustainable development?

Because, development also requires long-range goals just like the marathon. Because, development and even the sustainability of development requires resilience. Being resilient means being enduring, almost like a bobo doll. Those who get shaken but do not fall after being hit are called resilient. Resilience requires mechanisms that ensure the restoration of strength under stress. Being strong is not enough; those who also have flexibility are the resilient ones. Adapting to changing conditions and changing and shaping the strategy when necessary requires flexibility. Resilience requires effort, smart planning and patience. Just like us marathon runners.

Turkey shelters the highest number of refugees in the world. Over 4 million refugees, 3,6 million are the ones arriving from Syria… The world has never faced a humanitarian crisis of this size and duration, that involves millions of displaced persons. Turkey is almost a migration laboratory that the practices are tested, developed and lessons learned for the future.

Turkey, during the early years of the crisis, pursued an open-door policy towards Syrians and masses were accepted to the country without seeking any visa. In 2014, Turkey has granted under a legislation, a “temporary protection” status to the Syrians, providing access to basic humanitarian services and guaranteed non-refoulement as long as the risk of persecution and violation of fundamental human rights persists. All Syrians under temporary protection that are registered have access to basic services. Syrians are granted access to free of charge emergency and basic health services with the help of an interpreter as well as right to education, employment and access to social aids.

We can foresee that most of the Syrians will continue to stay in Turkey. This underlines the necessity of intensifying the development focused interventions in order to support the inclusion of Syrians to economic and social life by having access to decent work opportunities and hence becoming self-reliant individuals that are not anymore dependent on humanitarian aids. Right now, we are at a check point in the ultra-marathon.

At this point, we need to work more for economic and social integration. At crisis times, development-based approach requires managing the available resources wisely and using them as opportunity for development. In this connection, in Turkey, solutions should strive for enlarging the cake, rather than pushing to share the already small sized cake. Resilience building is possible in Turkey by way of expanding efficient production in areas where needs are identified. However, the pre-condition for that is to develop inclusive policies and advocacy. We need to show examples of solidarity in which we will patiently plant the seeds and have results in time.

The journey of development does not end, but it is up to us to cross the “finish line” in this marathon as strengthened rather than depleted.