YTB Established Brotherhood Tables All Around the World

Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) continued its diaspora and cooperation activities all around the world during Ramadan. Seeing Ramadan as an opportunity to integrate more with the people in its area of duty and responsibility, YTB also helped Turkey's good presence to be felt more abroad.

YTB, the diaspora institution of the Republic of Turkey, did not leave millions of citizens belonging to the Turkish diaspora alone this Ramadan. During the blessed month of Ramadan, one of the months when our citizens living abroad miss their homeland the most, YTB officials visited them and tried to alleviate their longing with iftar and sahur programs organized in European countries and cities where the Turkish diaspora is densely populated. The programs organized almost every day and simultaneously in Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Sweden during Ramadan brought the joy of the upcoming Eid early to our citizens.

YTB participated in the crowded iftar and sahur programs of MÜSİAD's Cologne branch and DİTİB Leverkusen Mosque, thus once again demonstrating its professional support for Turkish democratic civil society organizations in Europe and the importance it attaches to these organizations. Within the scope of the programs, YTB also visited prominent figures of the Turkish community in Germany and did not neglect to cheer "Uncle Rıdvan", one of the first generation people who immigrated to Germany, at his home in Essen.

Iftars with NGOs, Youth, Business People and Opinion Leaders

YTB President Abdullah Eren came together with the associations, youth, business people and opinion leaders of the Swiss Turkish Community at the iftar program. After the program, YTB President and the accompanying delegation held an evaluation meeting with Turkish associations.

Our citizens living in the United Kingdom participated in a Ramadan event organized or supported by YTB almost every day during Ramadan. The 27 iftar tables set up in different parts of the country, including the capital London, brought our citizens together in a heart-warming atmosphere and provided an opportunity to discuss the projects supported by YTB across the UK.

Sweden witnessed one of the most crowded Ramadan events. In the capital Stockholm, 700 citizens and representatives of Turkish civil society attended the iftar of the Union of International Democrats (UID).

The fact that this year's April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children's Day coincided with Ramadan diversified YTB's activities during Ramadan. YTB, which organized a painting contest called "My Holiday" for Turkish children living abroad the previous year, prepared a video from the pictures submitted to the contest this year and presented this video to the audience in other activities for children organized during Ramadan.

Brotherhood in the Geography of Heart Experienced in Ramadan

YTB, which also undertakes activities to strengthen Turkey's relations with countries and communities with which Turkey has historical and cultural affinity, continued to share Ramadan with Sister Communities. From one geography to another, it took Turkey's greetings and love with it.

Giving priority to the Sister Communities in line with the spirit of Ramadan, YTB carried out its related activities in cooperation with the Turkish Alumni Associations, the establishment of which it pioneered. YTB organized a fast-breaking meal with Turkish alumni in the Gaza region of Palestine through the Palestinian Turkish Alumni Association, and provided Ramadan food aid in Erbil, Iraq through the Iraqi Turkish Alumni Association.

Iftars with the Support of YTB

Ribnovo village in Bulgaria witnessed a big iftar program supported by YTB. The program, attended by two thousand people, created a festive atmosphere before the Ramadan feast. The same enthusiasm was present in 17 villages of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus within the scope of the "Bridge of Hearts" launched by YTB on April 10. In total, more than 3 thousand people shared the same table in the villages visited by YTB officials.

Of course, Africa also received its share from YTB's Ramadan activities. With the support of YTB, which contributes greatly to the training of qualified manpower in Somalia, Somali Turkish graduates came together at the iftar program. The next day, YTB organized the same iftar program in Somaliland and this time Somaliland Turkey alumni came together.

International Students Did Not Feel Homesick During Ramadan

YTB did not make international students who spent their education years in Turkey homesick during Ramadan. Through its offices in Ankara and Istanbul, YTB organized iftar meals for international students during Ramadan. YTB President Abdullah Eren visited the students at their homes and personally showed YTB's close interest.

We Met Around the World at the Same Table

YTB President Abdullah Eren stated that YTB organized iftar tables in a climate of brotherhood in all four corners of the world this Ramadan.

Stating that they made longing with citizens in countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Sweden, where citizens live intensively, Eren said, "We made an effort to be with our citizens abroad during Ramadan. I was personally with our citizens in Germany and Switzerland. My colleagues at YTB were also in other countries. As YTB, this Ramadan, we met with thousands of our citizens and brothers and sisters in 4 countries where our diaspora lives intensively in nearly 30 iftar meals." Abdullah Eren said that on this occasion, they exchanged views with both citizens and NGOs about ongoing projects.

Communication with International Students and Alumni Continued during Ramadan

Stating that thousands of students from the Balkans, Central Asia, Asia-Pacific and Africa and their families came together in 5 regional iftar programs organized in Ankara for international students studying in Turkey, Eren said, "Our Istanbul office brought together thousands of students from 122 countries in Istanbul at iftar tables for 28 days." Expressing that the students who graduated from Turkey in a wide geography ranging from Iraq to Somalia, from Azerbaijan to Gaza were not forgotten, YTB President Eren stated that they are always in contact with Turkey Alumni Associations and said, "We both made up with our alumni during our iftar gatherings and talked about how we can improve the relations between our countries."

We will continue to sit at the same table

Explaining that they embraced with their relatives in Bulgaria and with their compatriots in Western Thrace and TRNC, Abdullah Eren said, "In our meetings with our brothers and sisters with whom we share common values, we experienced a festive atmosphere before the Eid. We will hopefully strengthen our bonds spanning centuries day by day. During Ramadan, we organized iftar meetings in 8 countries from our heart geography and provided food aid to thousands of brothers and sisters in 3 countries."

Stating that the activities carried out by YTB all over the world will continue at full speed after Ramadan Feast, Eren said, "We will continue to sit at tables, meet on platforms and shoulder big projects where we will be even closer with our citizens living abroad, our cognate and fraternal communities, our graduates and our international students on Turkey Scholarship."

Lastly, Mr. Eren congratulated the entire Islamic world, especially the citizens living abroad, cognate and related communities and international students studying in Turkey, on the Eid al-Fitr holiday.