President Erdoğan: “We have never cast a shadow over Istanbul’s legacy, and we will continue to protect it”
President Erdoğan: “We have never cast a shadow over Istanbul’s legacy, and we will continue to protect it”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated,
“Until today, we have not cast a shadow over the sacred memory and legacy of Istanbul, and God willing, we will continue to protect this legacy.”
Erdoğan began his speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition “Five Painters, One City: My Beloved Istanbul”, held at the Lütfi Kırdar Congress and Exhibition Center under the leadership of collector Mehmet Çebi, who is the recipient of the Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Award, by greeting the participants. He thanked the owner of the collection and all the thinkers, cultural figures, and artists who contributed to the exhibition.
Congratulating the artists, Erdoğan said,
“I also commemorate with mercy the great master Mr. Ayhan Türker, who passed away three years ago, leaving his works to us for this exhibition. May God bless his soul and grant him paradise.”
Erdoğan wished that the exhibition, which reflects the city and human landscapes from Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque to Emirgan, from Maiden’s Tower to the slopes of Beylerbeyi, from Çınaraltı to Mihrabat, and from Eyüpsultan to Üsküdar, along with the historical, cultural, and architectural texture of Dersaadet, would bring goodness.
Reciting the line “Eğer maksud eserse mısra-ı berceste kafidir.” from a verse written three centuries ago by Koca Mehmed Ragıb Pasha, a diplomat and poet who also served as Grand Vizier in the Ottoman Empire, Erdoğan said,
“I would like to express that I see each work here as the most beautiful lines of Istanbul, akin to a harmonious poem composed in its entirety. Art lovers living in Istanbul will certainly visit this exhibition, which has been prepared with great effort, until September 16. I also believe that Istanbul enthusiasts from our other provinces will come and witness this festival of art firsthand. I invite all my brothers and sisters who cherish art and Istanbul to visit the exhibition.”
“In every branch of art, we have shone like stars across our cultural geography”
President Erdoğan emphasized that these sacred lands, where they have lived freely for a thousand years and will remain the homeland of the nation until the end of time, host some of the world’s oldest civilizations.
He stated that these civilizations produced their achievements in philosophy, architecture, science, art, politics, and law first on this land. Erdoğan explained that the works produced in Anatolia, along with the resulting values, spread over centuries first to the surrounding areas and then to the entire world.
Highlighting the nation’s significant contributions to this process spanning a millennium, Erdoğan continued:
“With our faith, language, traditions, motifs, and our scientific and cultural treasures, we have provided humanity with many values. We succeeded in reflecting and conveying all elements that nurture the spiritual roots forming our identity through our art and works. Look at the late Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, who, in an interview in 1932—exactly 93 years ago—defined the purpose of art as follows: ‘The purpose of art is beauty. Beauty is perfection. The material of art seeks to engrave this perfection.’ As a nation, we regarded art as the cornerstone of the path to goodness, beauty, truth, and reality. We always viewed our works with this wise perspective. We also determined our style accordingly. Through our poetry, music, architectural works, and cultural assets, we have shone like stars in every branch of art, not only in Anatolia but throughout our cultural geography. It is undeniable that the most dazzling of these stars is Istanbul.”
“This sacred city has been the source of our cultural and artistic life”
Erdoğan noted that Istanbul has been the yeast of the artistic dough they have kneaded in the history and civilization vessel since the first days of the blessed conquest.
“In the words of master Necip Fazıl, this sacred city, where the sea and land meet, constitutes the most fertile environment of our cultural and artistic life, even often its source. With its distinguished and rich architecture, historical and cultural depth, Istanbul has served as the header of our artworks. Its streets, squares, mosques, fountains, hills, and more have adorned our canvases alongside our poems, novels, and folk songs. The legacy of all civilizations has been sealed with our nation’s thousand-year imprint and preserved here, in Istanbul,” he said.
President Erdoğan emphasized that Istanbul means civilization, history, science, and art, stating:
“This city is one where sermons are delivered across three continents. This city hosts sacred legacies. Istanbul, together with our 86 million citizens, is a common value and shared wealth of the Turkish-Islamic world.”
Erdoğan said that he had been on many continents from Asia to America, from Africa to Europe.
He stated that although he had visited hundreds of cities around the world for various reasons, he had never seen another city like Istanbul, with its history, nature, spirituality, and beauties woven into every square meter. Erdoğan emphasized that he had always been honored to be born in this city, to grow up in it, and to serve this sacred city.
Erdoğan expressed that he had the honor of serving Istanbul and the people of Istanbul with love for 4.5 years as Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality, and for 28 years as Prime Minister and then as President, saying:
“With projects from the Marmaray to the Eurasia Tunnel, from the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge to the Grand Çamlıca Mosque, from Istanbul Airport to the Atatürk Cultural Center, from the reopening of Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque for worship to the Rami Library and many more, we are fortunate to leave behind lasting works and traces in Istanbul that, God willing, will always be remembered with goodness in the future.”
Stating that they have never been satisfied with what they have done for Istanbul and never will be, Erdoğan said:
“As long as God gives us life and opportunity, we will continue to serve Istanbul and the people of Istanbul. We will continue not as the ruler (hakim) of Istanbul but as its servant (hadim). As long as this soul is in this body, our love for Istanbul will never end. I will carry the honor of being a servant of the world’s most beautiful city, Istanbul, on my chest with great pride like a medal until my last breath.”
President Erdoğan underlined that, just as they did 30 years ago, today too they act with the awareness of being worthy of this city and with the responsibility of protecting the legacy of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, inspired by Istanbul:
“From Gaza to Syria, from Somalia to Sudan, from the Caucasus to the Balkans — wherever it may be — we are trying to do justice to being Istanbulites. Because we learned struggle here. We learned patience, perseverance, and never giving up in the streets of this city. This city taught us to be conscientious, to act with compassion and mercy. It taught us to stand with the oppressed and against the oppressor. It taught us to protect the truth no matter the cost. It was Istanbul that taught us to think big, to set ambitious goals for the future, and to run toward those goals. Praise be to God, until today we have not cast a shadow over Istanbul’s sacred memory and legacy. God willing, from now on too, we will continue to protect this legacy as it deserves.”
“Beloved Istanbul will continue to be a source of inspiration for our young artists and painters for centuries”
Erdoğan stated that he saw today’s exhibitions as a reflection of the struggle they are waging on the political stage in the field of art, and said that they encourage every project that will enrich the cultural and artistic life, particularly in Istanbul, and increase diversity in this field.
President Erdoğan stated that, particularly in the field of painting, they now have a much more dynamic climate compared to the past and that they view with appreciation and follow with satisfaction the efforts being made in this regard.
Pointing out that painters who closely follow innovations around the world, constantly improve themselves, and deepen and advance in their art are taking Turkish painting to new heights every day, Erdoğan said:
“Imitative, complex-ridden works alien to society and its core values no longer attract as much interest as before. I find this very valuable for Turkey’s cultural and artistic heritage. The truth is that if you want to create lasting works, open new paths, and make your mark on world painting, you must first be yourself. Otherwise, it is impossible to escape the whirlpool of imitation or move one step further.”
Erdoğan emphasized that in this context he considers it very important for young painters to take the great masters present among them as role models and to benefit from their knowledge and experience, and added:
“I strongly believe that the Century of Türkiye, which we are advancing toward with determined steps, will be shaped by the works of our painters, poets, writers — in short, our scholars, cultural and artistic figures. And of course, beloved Istanbul, this magnificent city, will continue to be a source of inspiration for many centuries to come, especially for our young artists and young painters.”
Thanking those who contributed to the organization of the exhibition, Erdoğan expressed his wish that the exhibition would be beneficial for the country and the nation, especially the cultural and artistic community.
President Erdoğan concluded his speech after reciting the poem “My Beloved Istanbul” (“Canım İstanbul”) by poet, writer, and thinker Necip Fazıl Kısakürek.
Notes from the program
At the program, Mehmet Mehdi Eker, Chairman of the Board of the Agricultural Strategy and Policy Development Center (TARPOL), along with artists İskender Pala, İbrahim Sadri, Seyfullah Kartal, Erol Eren and Nur Haktan recited poems about Istanbul. Mehmet Çebi presented President Erdoğan with a painting of Eminönü by Enver Fazıl.
The exhibition also opened during the program, showcasing works by artists Ayhan Türker, Mustafa Sekban, Faruk Cimok, Selahattin Kara, and Enver Fazıl. After cutting the ribbon with his accompanying delegation, President Erdoğan toured the exhibition.
The program was attended by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy; Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran; AK Party Deputy Chairmen Ömer Çelik (Party Spokesperson), Ahmet Büyükgümüş (Organization), Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, and Faruk Acar; AK Party Central Decision and Executive Board (MKYK) members Mahir Ünal and Derya Ayaydın; Istanbul Governor Davut Gül; AK Party Istanbul Provincial Chair Abdullah Özdemir; as well as several AK Party deputies and artists.
The “Five Painters, One City: My Beloved Istanbul” exhibition will remain open to visitors until September 16.