KIRKLARELİ (AA) – Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said, “We learned to look at life with love, tolerance, justice and altruism from Mevlana, Yunus and Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli. “We have always believed and will continue to believe that Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli’s philosophy and the values he represents have a common meaning for all of us,” he said.
Minister Ersoy started his visit program from Kırklareli Governorship. Ersoy was welcomed in front of the governor’s office by Kırklareli Governor Uğur Turan, AK Party Kırklareli Deputy Ahmet Gökhan Sarıçam and protocol members.
Ersoy, who signed the governor’s memoirs, received a briefing from Governor Turan.
Ersoy, who also visited the Atatürk House with his party’s Kırklareli Provincial Directorate, said in his speech at the opening of Sarı Saltuk Culture House Cemevi in Babaeski district that humanity is going through a difficult process.
Emphasizing that thousands of people in many different parts of the world are discriminated against due to their beliefs and thoughts, Ersoy stated that people struggle to survive in difficult conditions as a result of oppression, cruelty and conflicts.
Stating that they have never seen the difference in religion, language, race and sect between people as a reason for discrimination, Ersoy noted that in Turkish civilization, the difference between people is not accepted as a reason for conflict but as a wealth of the earth.
Emphasizing that different cultures have lived together in peace and harmony throughout history, Ersoy continued as follows:
“Freedom of religion and worship, as well as tolerance towards different cultures, are among the most fundamental principles of our faith. The commandment that there is no compulsion in religion is a clear indication of this. That’s why we need to convey these ideas fermented in Anatolia to all over the world. We must not forget that the wisdom of our beloved ones has illuminated the path of people from Anatolia to the Caucasus and from there to the Balkans. Today, we must continue to do our best to keep these thoughts alive and inform people of these teachings by joining hands and strengthening the brotherhood among us.”
Reminding that the Alevi-Bektashi Culture and Cemevi Presidency was established within the Ministry, Ersoy explained that the ministry provided the necessary support to cemevis.
Wishing that the Sarı Saltuk Culture House Cemevi, which they opened, will be beneficial, Ersoy said, “It is among our primary duties to support our hearths, which were established by Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli and his sons for centuries and contributed to the fermentation of Anatolian lands with knowledge, wisdom and wisdom. We know that people who are good for our civilization were raised here. We learned from Mevlana, Yunus and Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli to look at life with love, tolerance, justice and selflessness. We have always believed and will continue to believe that Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli’s philosophy and the values he represents have a common meaning for all of us. “With this understanding, as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we have made an effort to translate the works of our beloved ones into foreign languages and introduce these teachings to foreign communities,” he said.
Giving information about the investments of the Ministry, Ersoy continued as follows:
“With a total of 258 million lira appropriation allocated to our Presidency for the years 2023 and 2024, the maintenance, repair and furnishing requests of 355 cemevis have been processed. In this context, priority was given to the earthquake zone and a total budget of 148 million lira was used for 97 cemevi in this region. In order to fill the gap caused by demolished or heavily damaged cemevis in the earthquake zone, infrastructure preparations have been completed for the construction of a total of 13 cemevis, together with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. As of today, the lighting expenses of a total of 853 cemevis are covered by our presidency.”
Kırklareli Governor Uğur Turan said that in line with the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a comprehensive study was initiated under the title of “National Unity and Solidarity” under the coordination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in order to meet the needs of the Alevi community.
Stating that all problems were resolved on site within this framework, Turan noted that Sarı Saltuk had great services in introducing the Balkan geography to Islam.
Cem Foundation Chairman Ahmet Rasim Tükek, Alevi Foundations Federation Chairman Haydar Baki Doğan, and Cem Foundation Babaeski Branch Chairman Hüseyin Yeşilbaş also spoke at the program.
After the speeches, Minister Ersoy and his entourage cut the opening ribbon of Sarı Saltuk Culture House Cemevi.
