Istanbul, February 27 – The 43rd Turkey Book and Culture Fair commenced its activities at Fatih Mosque in Istanbul, inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Safi Arpaguş, President of Religious Affairs. The opening ceremony, held after the Friday sermon, saw President Arpaguş extend his Ramadan greetings to all participants.
President Arpaguş Emphasizes the Primacy of Books and Knowledge
In his address, Prof. Dr. Arpaguş highlighted that the civilization of which they are a part is one of books, science, wisdom, and enlightenment. He underscored that the most fundamental element contributing to this civilization is the Quran, whose first command is “Read.”
“The journey of the book on Earth began with divine revelation. Those who introduced humanity to books were the prophets, who were the recipients of this divine message. God created humanity and sent them guiding books through prophets chosen from among them, who would teach them the reality of things and the wisdom of existence. From Prophet Adam to the Seal of the Prophets, our Master, prophets illuminated the path and horizon of humanity, bringing them together with truth and reality. The last and universal link in this chain of books is the holy Quran, which invites all humanity to knowledge, wisdom, and contemplation,” stated Arpaguş.
President Arpaguş further asserted that a book can only approach truth and lead its reader to truth as long as it follows the horizon indicated by the Quran. He continued:
“From the age of happiness until today, Muslims have led humanity in every field of science, from theology to philosophy, literature to cultural arts, mathematics to astronomy, economics to engineering. However, the bitter reality we face today shows that we have not adequately upheld this heritage. Unfortunately, the relationship we, as the Islamic world, have established with knowledge and books, has fallen far short of the desired level. Today, beyond our reading rates and depth of thought, it is evident that we suffer from serious deficiencies in producing knowledge, transforming it into value, and integrating it into life.”
Aims of the Book and Culture Fair
Wishing the 43rd Book and Culture Fair to bring goodness, President Arpaguş expressed, “We must bring our generations together with books to build a strong world of thought and a vision for the future based on authentic sources. I would particularly emphasize that these book fairs, organized annually, serve such a noble purpose. I believe that every stand established here is a center of thought, every book is a product of intellectual labor, and every sentence is a valuable step taken for the construction of the future, a seed sown for the future.”
Opening Ceremony and Exhibition Details
The opening ceremony was attended by Fatih District Governor Cafer Sarılı, Deputy Presidents of Religious Affairs Dr. Hafiz Osman Şahin and Dr. Hatice Boynukalın Şenkardeşler, Director General of Religious Publications Hamza Bayram, and Istanbul Provincial Mufti Assoc. Dr. Emrullah Tuncel. Following prayers and a ribbon-cutting, the fair was officially declared open.
After the inauguration, President Arpaguş and his entourage toured the stands at the fair. The 43rd Turkey Book and Culture Fair, which will host various events, will be open to visitors until March 17.
Source: https://www.diyanethaber.com.tr/istanbulda-43-turkiye-kitap-ve-kultur-fuarinin-acilisi-yapildi/amp
