President Ersin Tatar attends the Yunus Emre Institute Meeting and Conversation Event with Athletes on the occasion of Commemorating 20 July Peace and Freedom Day
“The Turkish Cypriot People shall continue to exist in these lands with the support of Motherland Türkiye”
Photos
President Ersin Tatar attended the Yunus Emre Institute Meeting and Conversation Event with Athletes as part of the commemoration events being held to mark the July 20, Peace and Freedom Day.
The event, which was held at the Yunus Emre Institute headquarters in Lefkoşa, was attended by 32 athletes from 16 different countries, who are visiting the TRNC and participating in the 2. International Peace and Freedom Day Archery Cup that has been organised by the TRNC Archers Foundation and Yunus Emre Institute.
In his speech, President Tatar thanked the Turkish Archers Foundation and Yunus Emre Institute for the organisation. Pointing to the historical importance of the Yunus Emre Institute building, which is affiliated to the Cyprus Religious (Evkaf) Foundations Administration, and Selimiye Square, President Tatar commended the importance attributed by the institution towards educational activities and reaching out to young people.
Referring to the “unjust isolation” imposed on Turkish Cypriot people, President Tatar stated that “the Turkish Cypriot people continue to face unjust isolation through no fault of their own, despite the pledges to end this by international actors” and added: “This has also impacted in the sports field, but this has not stopped Turkish Cypriots from succeeding across different sports branches in international tournaments.”
President Tatar explained the “long years of pain and suffering” and the “atrocities committed against the Turkish Cypriot People by the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo because of their aspiration to annex the island to Greece (ENOSIS), between 1964 to 1974”.
“The 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, that was an obligation stemming from international agreements, was carried out by Guarantor Türkiye, which not only saved the Turkish Cypriot People from extermination, but also brought real peace and prosperity to the island of Cyprus and prevented ENOSIS,” President Tatar said.
“We are working to protect our legitimate rights in the Blue Homeland”
President Tatar also underlined that work was being continued to protect the legitimate rights of Turkish Cypriot People, who are one of the co-owners of the island of Cyprus with inherent rights.
“There is a need to share hydrocarbon resources and we will continue to work together with Motherland Türkiye in defending our legitimate rights in cooperation in Blue Homeland in order to protect peace and stability,” the President added.
President Tatar underlined that “there are two separate Peoples in Cyprus with sovereign rights, which is enshrined in international agreements,” adding that “the Turkish Cypriot People will continue to live in these lands in a determined manner and we shall continue our development with confident steps”.
Emphasising the importance of sovereignty, President Tatar said that “the Turkish Cypriot People are at the very least as sovereign as the Greek Cypriot People”.
“In 1974, Turkish soldiers (Mehmetçik) and Turkish Cypriot Freedom Fighters fought a holy struggle shoulder to shoulder and were martyred together”
Meanwhile, President Ersin Tatar also participated in the Flag Parade held in Lefkoşa as part of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day celebrations which started from in front of the Turkish Embassy building in Lefkoşa and ended at the Sarayönü Square, where a Mehteran (Ottoman band) also took part.
Addressing the crowd at the end of the event, which was organised by the Archers Foundation and Yunus Emre Institute, President Tatar thanked everybody for participating in the walk, and he paid tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for freedom and independence of the Turkish Cypriot People.
President Tatar thanked the participants and said 32 athletes from 16 different countries participated in the 2. International Peace and Freedom Archery Cup tournament, and thanked the athletes for “standing in solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot People”.
“These athletes are supporting the just cause of the Turkish Cypriot People who continue to face unjust embargoes and isolation across different fields including sports," the President said. "Our youth cannot even participate in internationally friendly tournaments under their own identity through no fault of their own, whilst the Greek Cypriot Side does everything in their power to increase our isolation.”
President Tatar emphasised that he had a conversation with the youth at the Yunus Emre Institute in Lefkoşa prior to the march and that he is proud that athletes from different countries speak Turkish and share the same culture and traditions as Turkish Cypriots.
The event, which was held at the Yunus Emre Institute headquarters in Lefkoşa, was attended by 32 athletes from 16 different countries, who are visiting the TRNC and participating in the 2. International Peace and Freedom Day Archery Cup that has been organised by the TRNC Archers Foundation and Yunus Emre Institute.
In his speech, President Tatar thanked the Turkish Archers Foundation and Yunus Emre Institute for the organisation. Pointing to the historical importance of the Yunus Emre Institute building, which is affiliated to the Cyprus Religious (Evkaf) Foundations Administration, and Selimiye Square, President Tatar commended the importance attributed by the institution towards educational activities and reaching out to young people.
Referring to the “unjust isolation” imposed on Turkish Cypriot people, President Tatar stated that “the Turkish Cypriot people continue to face unjust isolation through no fault of their own, despite the pledges to end this by international actors” and added: “This has also impacted in the sports field, but this has not stopped Turkish Cypriots from succeeding across different sports branches in international tournaments.”
President Tatar explained the “long years of pain and suffering” and the “atrocities committed against the Turkish Cypriot People by the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo because of their aspiration to annex the island to Greece (ENOSIS), between 1964 to 1974”.
“The 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, that was an obligation stemming from international agreements, was carried out by Guarantor Türkiye, which not only saved the Turkish Cypriot People from extermination, but also brought real peace and prosperity to the island of Cyprus and prevented ENOSIS,” President Tatar said.
“We are working to protect our legitimate rights in the Blue Homeland”
President Tatar also underlined that work was being continued to protect the legitimate rights of Turkish Cypriot People, who are one of the co-owners of the island of Cyprus with inherent rights.
“There is a need to share hydrocarbon resources and we will continue to work together with Motherland Türkiye in defending our legitimate rights in cooperation in Blue Homeland in order to protect peace and stability,” the President added.
President Tatar underlined that “there are two separate Peoples in Cyprus with sovereign rights, which is enshrined in international agreements,” adding that “the Turkish Cypriot People will continue to live in these lands in a determined manner and we shall continue our development with confident steps”.
Emphasising the importance of sovereignty, President Tatar said that “the Turkish Cypriot People are at the very least as sovereign as the Greek Cypriot People”.
“In 1974, Turkish soldiers (Mehmetçik) and Turkish Cypriot Freedom Fighters fought a holy struggle shoulder to shoulder and were martyred together”
Meanwhile, President Ersin Tatar also participated in the Flag Parade held in Lefkoşa as part of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day celebrations which started from in front of the Turkish Embassy building in Lefkoşa and ended at the Sarayönü Square, where a Mehteran (Ottoman band) also took part.
Addressing the crowd at the end of the event, which was organised by the Archers Foundation and Yunus Emre Institute, President Tatar thanked everybody for participating in the walk, and he paid tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for freedom and independence of the Turkish Cypriot People.
President Tatar thanked the participants and said 32 athletes from 16 different countries participated in the 2. International Peace and Freedom Archery Cup tournament, and thanked the athletes for “standing in solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot People”.
“These athletes are supporting the just cause of the Turkish Cypriot People who continue to face unjust embargoes and isolation across different fields including sports," the President said. "Our youth cannot even participate in internationally friendly tournaments under their own identity through no fault of their own, whilst the Greek Cypriot Side does everything in their power to increase our isolation.”
President Tatar emphasised that he had a conversation with the youth at the Yunus Emre Institute in Lefkoşa prior to the march and that he is proud that athletes from different countries speak Turkish and share the same culture and traditions as Turkish Cypriots.