‘From Independence to Future’ Iftar Program Held in Şişli, Istanbul
Istanbul, March 18 – The ‘From Independence to Future’ Iftar program, organized by the 15 July Association, took place at Taşyapı Event Area in Şişli, hosted by Emrullah Turanlı. The event gathered numerous prominent figures, including Deputy Minister of Justice Sedat Ayyıldız, former Minister of Culture and Tourism Mahir Ünal, AK Party Istanbul Deputy and Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey’s Internal Affairs Committee Süleyman Soylu, and 15 July Association Chairman İsmail Hakkı Turunç. Also in attendance were members of parliament, Turkish Armed Forces commanders, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and families of 15 July martyrs and veterans.
The iftar program, held on the anniversary of the 18 March Çanakkale Victory, served as an occasion to commemorate the martyrs and offer prayers for the souls of those who lost their lives on 15 July. The event began with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a series of speeches. Guests broke their fast after the call to prayer.
‘We Are Advancing Towards the Turkey Century Goals with His Leadership’
Deputy Minister of Justice Sedat Ayyıldız addressed the attendees, stating, “As a member of this association since its establishment, I have personally witnessed the dedication of our martyr families and veterans to this cause, both on the night of July 15 and in the subsequent trials, where they filled courtrooms and encouraged our judges and prosecutors. Thanks to their unwavering support for this cause, it did not fall by the wayside. With the courage of our judicial members and, of course, the prudence and courage of our President, we have reached a significant point. If we personally experienced and observed the leadership and courage of our President on the night of July 15, today, in the process we are living, with fire all around us, we are moving forward with great confidence in our country towards the goals of the Turkey Century, thanks to his prudence, courage, and leadership.”
Ayyıldız further emphasized the President’s role, adding, “Of course, with our geography in this state, the experience and prudence of our President are the most important beacon for us, illuminating our future. May God grant him a long life, health, and strength. May he serve our country for many more years. And we, together with him, our martyr families, our veterans, and those who have supported this cause, will walk shoulder to shoulder.”
‘This Flag Shall Not Fall, This Homeland Shall Not Be Divided’
Ismail Hakkı Turunç, Chairman of the 15 July Association, spoke about the purpose of the gathering, stating, “We came together here to bring together the families of martyrs, to remember our martyrs, to pray for them, and to express our feelings towards them. I saw and greeted many mothers, children, siblings, and fathers of martyrs at the door. They expressed their great satisfaction and deep emotion. The momentary images we showed at the opening, depicting the events of the treacherous coup attempt on July 15, truly brought back those emotions vividly, even though I have watched them hundreds of times. Families were deeply saddened. Some mourned, some shed tears of emotion. But I told them, ‘You are the spouse of a hero, the child of a hero, the father, the mother of a hero. Yes, you will have sorrow, but on the other hand, your children have given you a pride that you will carry within you for the rest of your lives. How fortunate that you have had such beautiful children. We are grateful to you for raising such children with love for their state, nation, and flag, so that they willingly left behind all their loved ones and sacrificed their lives under the tanks for our future, the future of the nation, and the future of humanity on that day.'”
Turunç, who was personally involved in the events of 15 July, continued, “As your friend, who was personally involved in the events of July 15, we were not destined to be martyrs or veterans. But on that day, I was one of those who lived that emotion. I envied the martyrs and veterans. My prayer and wish is that such a treacherous coup attempt will never happen again in our country. But even if it does, millions more people than those who took to the streets that day will willingly stand against the tanks again to protect their state, nation, flag, and the faith of this nation. No one should make calculations. This nation has made a calculation; this nation is indivisible, this flag shall not fall, this homeland shall not be divided. It is impossible to erase from the stage of history those who hold this understanding. They will not be able to erase them, and our children and grandchildren in these lands will live freely under our flag for thousands of years to come.”
Source: http://www.dha.com.tr/yerel-haberler/istanbul/istanbul-sislide-istiklalden-istikbale-ifta-2839129
