President Ersin Tatar inaugurates 6th Turkish Cypriot Cultural Festival in north London
“Festivals are important in demonstrating the culture, traditions, food, music, handicrafts, folklore and solidarity of the Turkish Cypriot People”
Photos
President Ersin Tatar inaugurated the 6th Turkish Cypriot Cultural Festival that was held on Sunday July 2, in Enfield, north London.
The festival was also attended by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, TRNC Representative to London Çimen Keskin and the Republic of Türkiye Ambassador to the UK, Osman Koray Ertaş.
Organised by the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations (CTCA) UK, the festival celebrates the culture and traditions of the Turkish Cypriots. The event featured stands selling handicrafts, foods, traditional ornaments and live performances by folk dancing groups, musical performances, concerts, and a fair.
Addressing the festival, President Ersin Tatar commended the CTCA, its president Kenan Nafi, and the Festival Committee, and thanked everybody who made the event a success – which will see proceeds donated to UK-based Turkish language and cultural schools and to the earthquake victims in Türkiye.
President Tatar thanked Mr Nafi and the Festival Committee for inviting him to the festival, stating: “It is a great pleasure to be with you at this fantastic festival, which is putting on a display of our culture and traditions. Having walked around the festival arena and spoken with so many people, I see the love, passion and longing across different generations for their homeland. I commend you all for putting on a display of our very existence in the capital of the UK.”
The President added: “Festivals are not only important in terms of social cohesion, bringing people of different backgrounds together and celebrating diversity, but significant for the Turkish Cypriots living in the UK. Your togetherness, unity and solidarity both in the political and economic sense is very important. It is also paramount for our children and future generations to learn about their roots, identity and culture, and festivals of this kind are instrumental in contributing to this sense of belonging.”
Paying tribute to the Turkish Cypriots who have succeeded across different walks of life and their integration to British society, President Tatar said: “The hearts and love of Turkish Cypriots abroad for their country exists whether they are in the UK, Australia, US or Canada. . .I know that your hearts are with us, and our hearts are with you.”
“I would like to underline that it is of vital importance to preserve our identity and to keep our connections with our cultural heritage and homeland, the TRNC. Whilst commending the decision of the organisers to donate a share of the proceeds from this festival to Turkish schools, I would like to take this opportunity to also call upon parents to send their children to Turkish schools for the new generations to improve their Turkish language skills and to learn about our history, culture, folk and traditions,” the President added.
Stating that he had also studied and lived in the UK for many years, President Tatar said: “Your unity and solidarity is very important. You are our strength and voice in the UK, and each and everyone of you are a representative of our beautiful country. I know very well the patriotism and love you carry for the TRNC.”
Referring to the Cyprus issue, President Tatar stated that he is putting forward a new vision and policy, that is based on the reaffirmation of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot Side. “Your voice against the inhumane isolation and injustices that is preventing direct trade and direct flights and the obstruction of Turkish Cypriot youth from being able to play in many prominent sports tournaments under the flag of the TRNC is important for us.”
The President stated that former UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who served in office during the UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan period in 2004, is publicly supporting a two State settlement in Cyprus. He said there is a need for the UK, as a guarantor power, to treat the two Sides equally. Stating that the promises to end the unjust isolation by international actors made in 2004 have not been honoured, the President said that the struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people for freedom, justice and respect and reaffirmation of their inherent rights is continuing.
President Tatar expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Türkiye and especially to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his support to this policy.
“Motherland Türkiye continues to stand by the TRNC on every level at every stage” President Tatar added. “The TRNC, under its constitutional name, was admitted as an observer member to the Organisation of Turkic States, with the initiative and support of Motherland Türkiye and particularly President Erdoğan.” The President added the TRNC is continuing to become “more acknowledged” internationally.
President Tatar also conveyed his “warm greetings from London to the President of Azerbaijan, İlham Aliyev” and thanked him for his support to the TRNC in the Organisation of Turkic States.
Stating that next year will be the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation staged by the Republic of Türkiye, the President said that the TRNC is a reality and that a two State settlement is a realistic, practical and sustainable settlement. “The way forward is for a settlement to be reached that is based on the cooperative relationship between the two Sides across different areas and fields,” President Tatar said, adding that the “Turkish Cypriots are a sovereign People and have exactly the same rights as the Greek Cypriots.”
President Tatar said that there are students from 144 different countries studying at universities in the TRNC, and that the country is continuing to develop despite conflicts and economic issues. “Work is underway for an interconnection electricity undersea cable, to connect the TRNC with Türkiye, which God willing, will address the power issues of our country, as has been done for water with the undersea pipeline transporting 75 million m3 per annum,” President Tatar said.
Referring to the “Century of Türkiye,” the President said that the successes of Türkiye will have positive effects and will help the TRNC, which is in a geostrategic region in the eastern Mediterranean.
President Tatar concluded by wishing all Turkish Cypriots in the UK a happy, healthy and prosperous life.
The festival was also attended by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, TRNC Representative to London Çimen Keskin and the Republic of Türkiye Ambassador to the UK, Osman Koray Ertaş.
Organised by the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations (CTCA) UK, the festival celebrates the culture and traditions of the Turkish Cypriots. The event featured stands selling handicrafts, foods, traditional ornaments and live performances by folk dancing groups, musical performances, concerts, and a fair.
Addressing the festival, President Ersin Tatar commended the CTCA, its president Kenan Nafi, and the Festival Committee, and thanked everybody who made the event a success – which will see proceeds donated to UK-based Turkish language and cultural schools and to the earthquake victims in Türkiye.
President Tatar thanked Mr Nafi and the Festival Committee for inviting him to the festival, stating: “It is a great pleasure to be with you at this fantastic festival, which is putting on a display of our culture and traditions. Having walked around the festival arena and spoken with so many people, I see the love, passion and longing across different generations for their homeland. I commend you all for putting on a display of our very existence in the capital of the UK.”
The President added: “Festivals are not only important in terms of social cohesion, bringing people of different backgrounds together and celebrating diversity, but significant for the Turkish Cypriots living in the UK. Your togetherness, unity and solidarity both in the political and economic sense is very important. It is also paramount for our children and future generations to learn about their roots, identity and culture, and festivals of this kind are instrumental in contributing to this sense of belonging.”
Paying tribute to the Turkish Cypriots who have succeeded across different walks of life and their integration to British society, President Tatar said: “The hearts and love of Turkish Cypriots abroad for their country exists whether they are in the UK, Australia, US or Canada. . .I know that your hearts are with us, and our hearts are with you.”
“I would like to underline that it is of vital importance to preserve our identity and to keep our connections with our cultural heritage and homeland, the TRNC. Whilst commending the decision of the organisers to donate a share of the proceeds from this festival to Turkish schools, I would like to take this opportunity to also call upon parents to send their children to Turkish schools for the new generations to improve their Turkish language skills and to learn about our history, culture, folk and traditions,” the President added.
Stating that he had also studied and lived in the UK for many years, President Tatar said: “Your unity and solidarity is very important. You are our strength and voice in the UK, and each and everyone of you are a representative of our beautiful country. I know very well the patriotism and love you carry for the TRNC.”
Referring to the Cyprus issue, President Tatar stated that he is putting forward a new vision and policy, that is based on the reaffirmation of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot Side. “Your voice against the inhumane isolation and injustices that is preventing direct trade and direct flights and the obstruction of Turkish Cypriot youth from being able to play in many prominent sports tournaments under the flag of the TRNC is important for us.”
The President stated that former UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who served in office during the UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan period in 2004, is publicly supporting a two State settlement in Cyprus. He said there is a need for the UK, as a guarantor power, to treat the two Sides equally. Stating that the promises to end the unjust isolation by international actors made in 2004 have not been honoured, the President said that the struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people for freedom, justice and respect and reaffirmation of their inherent rights is continuing.
President Tatar expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Türkiye and especially to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his support to this policy.
“Motherland Türkiye continues to stand by the TRNC on every level at every stage” President Tatar added. “The TRNC, under its constitutional name, was admitted as an observer member to the Organisation of Turkic States, with the initiative and support of Motherland Türkiye and particularly President Erdoğan.” The President added the TRNC is continuing to become “more acknowledged” internationally.
President Tatar also conveyed his “warm greetings from London to the President of Azerbaijan, İlham Aliyev” and thanked him for his support to the TRNC in the Organisation of Turkic States.
Stating that next year will be the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation staged by the Republic of Türkiye, the President said that the TRNC is a reality and that a two State settlement is a realistic, practical and sustainable settlement. “The way forward is for a settlement to be reached that is based on the cooperative relationship between the two Sides across different areas and fields,” President Tatar said, adding that the “Turkish Cypriots are a sovereign People and have exactly the same rights as the Greek Cypriots.”
President Tatar said that there are students from 144 different countries studying at universities in the TRNC, and that the country is continuing to develop despite conflicts and economic issues. “Work is underway for an interconnection electricity undersea cable, to connect the TRNC with Türkiye, which God willing, will address the power issues of our country, as has been done for water with the undersea pipeline transporting 75 million m3 per annum,” President Tatar said.
Referring to the “Century of Türkiye,” the President said that the successes of Türkiye will have positive effects and will help the TRNC, which is in a geostrategic region in the eastern Mediterranean.
President Tatar concluded by wishing all Turkish Cypriots in the UK a happy, healthy and prosperous life.