Emine Erdoğan attended the opening of Abuja Yunus Emre Cultural Center in Nigeria
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife Emine Erdoğan attended the opening of the Yunus Emre Cultural Center in Abuja, Nigeria.
In her speech at the program, Emine Erdoğan stated that she was very happy to be back in Nigeria after five years.
"WITH THE ABUJA YUNUS EMRE CULTURAL CENTER, WE WILL BE OPENING THE DOORS OF WISDOM OF ANATOLIA TO OUR NIGERIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS"
Stating that it was a great pleasure for her to inaugurate the Yunus Emre Cultural Center, Emine Erdoğan expressed her gratitude for their hospitality and warm welcome.
Pointing out that the cultural centers opened in friendly and sisterly countries are a sign of the importance they attach to relations, Emine Erdoğan said: "With this center, we will be opening the doors of Anatolian wisdom to our Nigerian brothers and sisters. You will have the opportunity to get to know Turkish culture more closely, and you will also be able to learn the Turkish language if you wish. Yunus Emre is an Anatolian poet who sits on the heart throne of the Turkish people. However, his message is universal. His verses full of wisdom express human love. It is a great happiness that the message of Yunus Emre, who left deep traces in Anatolia, will reach Abuja through our cultural center. To date, we have established 62 Yunus Emre Cultural Centers in 52 countries. Literature, culture and art are the most beautiful tools that strengthen our ties with friendly countries. Yunus Emre, in his famous quote, says, "Let's get acquainted, let's make the work easy, let's love and be loved, the world will never be left to anyone". This saying, which carries a profound meaning in its simplicity, is the beginning of all brotherhoods."
Emine Erdoğan wished the Abuja Yunus Emre Cultural Center to be a blessing and expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed.
Stating that she had the opportunity to visit many African countries since 2005 with the African opening initiated by Turkey, Emine Erdoğan said that she had accompanied her husband President Erdoğan on many of his foreign visits and that she especially wanted to visit African countries.
Stating that her admiration for the continent has increased since the first day she set foot in Africa and that she has witnessed many human conditions here, Emine Erdoğan said: "In these travels, you internalize that despite the cultural differences between us, all humanity is one big family. You see that the human heart needs no interpreter. You realize that the joy and tears of all the mothers of the world are the same. In other words, you meet the universality of being human. In this process, I felt the need to write down what accumulated in my heart. I entrusted the traces of Africa, which is a source of inspiration in itself, to the permanence of writing. I believe that it explains how cultural interaction builds bridges between people."
"WE SEE AFRICA AS THE RISING STAR OF THE 21ST CENTURY"
Pointing out that Africa is like a chest containing all the treasures of the world, Emine Erdoğan said that the continent is home to more than 2 thousand different languages and ethnic communities and has a huge potential with a population of more than 1 billion.
"We see Africa as the rising star of the 21st century. We are in solidarity with the entire African continent to bring it to the place it deserves," Emine Erdoğan said, pointing out that the increase in the number of Turkey's embassies in the African continent is an expression of the deepening of relations.
Emine Erdoğan pointed out that Turkey had only 12 embassies in Africa in 2002, whereas today 43 embassies are active in Africa, and said: "We aim to increase this number to 49 in the coming period. The number of African embassies in Ankara increased from 10 in 2008 to 37 in 2021. Turkish Airlines is also adding new routes to its flights to Africa. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, flights were organized to 60 destinations in 40 countries on the continent. With the lifting of travel bans, the number of flights is increasing and we are reuniting at many points."
"Our friendship with Africa has inspired many beautiful projects under my patronage. In 2016, we established the African Handicrafts Market and Culture House in Ankara, creating a fair market where African women can get the full value of their labor. The books 'African Food Culture' and 'African Proverbs', which we brought to the literature, were added to the library shelves as a result of our cultural rapprochement. Every year, we organize special events for Africa Day on May 25th and strive to contribute to Africa's vision of a 'better continent'. The proceeds from the sale of my book will also go to the African Handicraft Market and Culture House. I hope it will be a meaningful contribution to our solidarity with African women."
"WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED SPECIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN MANY COUNTRIES"
Underlining that Turkey's relationship with Africa is not based solely on donations or grants, Emine Erdoğan emphasized the importance of the continent's development and progress for the common future of the world and said that they are mobilizing opportunities for this purpose.
Stating that they provide education support to African countries within the scope of people-oriented foreign policy, Emine Erdoğan said: "It is a great happiness that the number of African students who have benefited from our scholarships has reached approximately 14 thousand. During the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the biggest disasters that has ever befallen the world, we also stood by countries suffering from food insecurity. We have implemented special aid programs for vulnerable groups in many countries. An African proverb that I love very much says, "Charity is not from wealth, but from the heart. I would like to express that we stand by Africa with our hearts the most. We will continue to contribute to the continent's peace, stability, prosperity and development as we have done so far. I wish the success and happiness of the African geography to be perpetual."
Expressing her gratitude to everyone who contributed to the program, Emine Erdoğan wished to meet again as soon as possible.
Yunus Emre Institute President Şeref Ateş stated that he was very pleased to open a new center of the institute, which serves as Turkey's cultural ambassador in all four corners of the world, with the presence of Emine Erdoğan.
Pointing out that Yunus Emre Institute organizes its activities in order to carry Turkey's international relations to further dimensions, Yunus Emre Institute President Ateş said: "Our country, which has a rich cultural heritage, deserves to be on the world agenda with its culture, art and cultural heritage. In this sense, culture also serves a great function in terms of disrupting the game of certain foci that want to imprison our country in vicious agendas and false perceptions. In this respect, it is extremely important for Yunus Emre Institute to create a Turkey agenda based on culture all over the world. We are aware of the heavy responsibility of the Yunus Emre Institute, which is tasked with representing Turkey's thousands of years of cultural heritage and presenting it for the benefit of humanity. I would like to express my gratitude to Mrs. Çavuşoğlu for always supporting us in the fulfillment of this heavy responsibility. As the Institute, our aim in the countries where we open centers is to create a realistic perception of Turkey by establishing open and transparent humanitarian ties and to increase the recognition, awareness and reputation of Turkey."
Yunus Emre Institute President Ateş reminded that 2021 was declared as the "Year of Turkish and Yunus Emre" by President Erdoğan and emphasized that the opening of the Yunus Emre Institute in Abuja in such an important year is also meaningful and valuable.
Having reached 64 centers in 53 countries, Yunus Emre Enstitüsü increased the number of its centers in Africa to nine with Nigeria, following Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, South Africa, Somalia, Senegal, Tunisia and Rwanda.
The opening ceremony was attended by Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture Lai Muhammed, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster and Social Development Sadiye Umar Farouq, Wife of the Vice President of Nigeria Dolapo Osinbajo and many other guests.
Emine Erdoğan was accompanied by Hülya Çavuşoğlu, wife of Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Şule Akar, wife of Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar, and Prof. Şeref Ateş, President of Yunus Emre Institute.
After the opening ceremony, Emine Erdoğan toured the photo exhibition titled "Every Voice Rising in Africa Resonates in Turkey" consisting of Anadolu Agency photographs and the institute center and took a souvenir photo with the guests.
20.10.2021
