Kurtulmuş Attends "Iftar Program with Non-Governmental Organizations" at the Parliament
Kurtulmuş Attends "Iftar Program with Non-Governmental Organizations" at the Parliament
Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), Numan Kurtulmuş, stated, "Our goal is both to advance our country and nation, to ensure that Turkey moves forward in a stronger manner, and to take great strides with our efforts toward the establishment of a new world where humanity can live in peace and prosperity."
Speaking at the "Iftar Program with Non-Governmental Organizations" held at the Parliament, Kurtulmuş expressed his pleasure in sharing the same iftar table with representatives of NGOs at TBMM, the heart of Turkey and the embodiment of the national will.
He emphasized that these iftar gatherings provide an opportunity to review shared goals, saying, "Our objective is both to advance our country and nation, to ensure that Turkey moves forward in a stronger manner, and to take great strides with our efforts toward the establishment of a new world where humanity can live in peace and prosperity."
Pointing out that Turkey is at the beginning of a historic era, Kurtulmuş stressed that the "Century of Turkey" aims to be a century where Turkey’s voice is strong and its power is influential, and that they are all working together toward this goal.
He stated that public institutions, private enterprises, and NGOs are key actors in Turkey’s journey toward these shared objectives, adding, "That is why we are aware of the significant efforts made by esteemed NGO representatives in facilitating Turkey’s common national goals. May God grant you great success in your endeavors. I sincerely hope that each of you will become leaders in your respective fields as NGOs."
Kurtulmuş highlighted that Turkey has made significant progress in civil society compared to previous years, stating:
"Civil society is the truest and purest face of democracy. NGOs are the strongest institutions forming the bridge between individuals and the state. Here, we have leaders and representatives of Turkey’s esteemed NGOs, whose members number in the millions or hundreds of thousands. These organizations are not just institutions but also serve as strong bridges and key elements in fostering a deep sense of belonging in society. That is why we say that while our areas of work may differ, our priorities may vary, and our political views and opinions may not be the same, it is our historical responsibility to unite around a common goal. At such a critical time, we must stand side by side and move forward together to achieve Turkey’s objectives."
"There is a well-known saying: A new world is established, and Turkey takes its place in it."
Emphasizing that Turkey’s strength is more critical than ever and that achieving this strength is more feasible than before, Kurtulmuş stated:
"Today, we are all witnessing the vast turmoil and deep turbulence that the world, especially our region, is experiencing. We are making efforts to understand and navigate the direction in which the world is evolving through various predictions. In such an environment, Turkey cannot afford to isolate itself, exacerbate its internal issues, and miss out on the opportunities presented by this era. This new period offers Turkey golden opportunities on a silver platter. First and foremost, it must be clearly stated that we are at the beginning of a new global era. This will be an era of multipolarity. The world is no longer a place where a single country determines everything or where countries divide it among themselves. It is no longer possible for one country, one region, one continent, or a single bloc to rule the world alone. Therefore, the coming period marks the beginning of a brand-new era of multipolarity across the globe."
Kurtulmuş stated that Turkey has entered this new phase with greater maturity, strength, and resilience, saying:
"There is a well-known saying: A new world is established, and Turkey takes its place in it. We are precisely at such a turning point. A new world will be established, and with God’s permission, Turkey will not sit where it is assigned but where it chooses to be. To achieve this, we must all align ourselves with common goals."
"We cannot look ahead solely with the prescriptions of the past."
Pointing out that multipolarity will also bring about multiculturalism, Kurtulmuş stated that the world is entering an era where, instead of a dominant global culture, countries with strong cultural and civilizational values will gain prominence.
He emphasized that Turkey, with its deep historical roots and its civilizational heritage spanning Anatolia and a vast cultural geography, is one of the rare countries destined for a leading role in multiculturalism worldwide.
Emphasizing that they will strive to move forward with greater goals, Kurtulmuş stated the following:
"We can no longer look ahead solely with the prescriptions of the past. Even if past prescriptions were successful in previous periods, we are obliged to produce and present new prescriptions that will understand the upcoming period and provide solutions to its developments. In this regard, we will work together. Our universities, non-governmental organizations, research centers, politics, and all institutions of Turkey will reach the most effective point, understand what is happening in the world, and truly use future perspectives in decision-making."
Saying, "The future rooted in the past is an important strength of ours," Kurtulmuş underlined that a nation detached from its past cannot have a future.
He stated that merely recounting past events or analyzing the present will not be enough to benefit from future periods and emphasized that those who make the best future projections will be strong and survive, stressing the need to continue the struggle together.
"Civil society is one of the fundamental conditions for a strong democracy"
Pointing out the responsibilities of civil society organizations, Kurtulmuş continued:
"As politicians, we do not value civil society just because we want them to see only what we see and say only what we want to hear. Civil society is one of the fundamental conditions for a strong democracy. However, we also expect this from civil society: Each of our civil society organizations should be the leading institution in its field, the mainstream organization, and our civil society organizations should be able to compete and engage not only among themselves but also on a global scale. For this, we must keep both our knowledge accumulation and human resources strong as civil society organizations. But just as important as this is the necessity to strengthen our institutional capacities."
Kurtulmuş noted that civil society organizations cannot illuminate the future with the institutional capacities and organizational structures of the past.
He emphasized that global competition is also a field of competition among civil societies and highlighted the need to strengthen the institutional infrastructure of civil society organizations.
Kurtulmuş stated that once each civil society organization reaches a level where it can compete and provide guidance on the international stage, the task will become easier.
"Civil society is at the center of mobilizing global conscience"
Expressing that Turkey will bear significant responsibilities in the new era the world is entering, Kurtulmuş stated that there are also great responsibilities in the field of civil society and that after the occupation of Gaza, the representation of the global conscience that has emerged worldwide must be ensured.
Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Kurtulmuş, continued:
"Despite their governments' prohibitions and the intense media pressure, we see that hundreds of millions of people worldwide, especially in Western countries, have increasingly supported the Palestinian cause over the past 1.5 years, and we know that civil society plays the biggest role in this. If it were not for civil society organizations that mobilized the conscience of humanity in Western countries, there would be no pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London, Paris, America, or elsewhere in the world. The public, despite their governments and contrary to their governments’ policies, would not have taken a stand for peace, justice, and fairness. Therefore, it has once again become clear that civil society is at the center of mobilizing global conscience."
Calling on civil society representatives to collaborate with their counterparts around the world for the establishment of a new global order, the creation of a new global political and economic-financial architecture, and the strengthening of the conscience of humanity, Kurtulmuş stated:
"If we can achieve this, I believe that the decisive stance that has been demonstrated since the first day of the Gaza issue—especially by our President and by us as a whole, as the state and the nation of Turkey—will be further strengthened and reinforced through the efforts of you, our esteemed civil society organizations."
Emphasizing that everyone's goal is to establish a strong and great Turkey and a new, fair, and equitable world system, Kurtulmuş underlined that beyond political alliances and friendships, civil society's power should be utilized to mobilize societies.
He stated that through the power of civil society, the front of humanity across the world will be strengthened.
"Turkey will become an important and powerful country in the world"
Stating that they will continue to move forward by strengthening the inner fortress together, Kurtulmuş expressed that they will achieve Turkey’s second century as the "Century of Turkey."
Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Kurtulmuş, emphasized that a Turkey with a strong voice and influential power will become not only a significant country in its region but also a powerful country worldwide.
At the program, the following individuals were present:
Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Ergün Atalay, President of the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), Bendevi Palandöken, President of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), Erinç Sağkan, President of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, Ali Yalçın, President of Memur-Sen, Abdurrahman Aliy, President of Yunus Emre Institute, Musa Kazım Arıcan, President of the Turkish Writers' Association, Mahmut Mustafa Özdil, President of the Turkish Maarif Foundation, İsmail Şanlı, General Director of the Turkish Armed Forces Mehmetçik Foundation, Hasan Salih Kurt, President of Başkent Platform, Atillahan Kurt, Honorary President of Başkent Platform, Ömer İleri, Deputy Chairman of the AK Party, Talip Uzun, Secretary General of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Members of Parliament and representatives of various civil society organizations.