On the evening of March 10, President Tayyip Erdoğan met with Christian and Jewish clerics and representatives in Turkey for an iftar program at the Presidential Complex.
The names of the 21 clerics and representatives who attended the event are as follows:
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Armenian Patriarch of Turkey Sahak Maşalyan, Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Turkey Rav David Sevi, Spiritual Leader and Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Community in Istanbul and Ankara Mor Filüksinos Yusuf Çetin, Metropolitan of Turabdin and Mor Gabriel Monastery Mor Timotheos Samuel Aktaş, Bishop and Apostolic Vicar of the Istanbul Latin Catholic Community Massimiliano Palinuro, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Izmir Monsignor Martin Kmetec, Spiritual Leader of the Syriac Catholic Community of Turkey Orhan Çanlı, Spiritual Leader of the Armenian Catholic Community of Turkey Kerabaydzar Vartan Kirakos Kazancıyan, Metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chalcedon Emanuel Adamakis, Auxiliary Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia Antuan Ilgıt, Spiritual Leader of the Chaldeans of Turkey Mgr. Sabri Anar, President of the Union of Armenian Foundations (ERVAB) Bedros Şirinoğlu, President of the Balıklı Greek Hospital Foundation Konstantin Yuvanidis, Co-President of the Turkish Jewish Community Erol Kohen, President of the Turkish Jewish Community İsak İbrahimzadeh, President of the Syriac Ancient Foundation Kenan Gürdal, President of the Mor Gabriel Monastery Foundation Kuryakus Ergün, Deputy President of the Kadıköy Greek Foundation Lena Kaçi Açık, President of the Armenian Catholic Community Foundation Antuan Sultanoğlu, and President of the Istanbul Syriac Catholic Foundation Münir Üçkardeş.
Also present at the event were Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, the Ministers of Interior and Culture and Tourism, the President of Religious Affairs, the Chief of Staff to the President, the Secretary General of the Presidency, the Presidential Communications Director, the Chief Advisor to the President on Foreign Policy and Security, a member of the Presidential Culture and Art Policies Board, the Director General of Foundations, and AKP MKYK member Sevan Sıvacıoğlu.
Speaking at the program, Erdoğan stated: "I believe that the image of unity, togetherness, and solidarity presented here is very meaningful at a time when wars, conflicts, divisions, suffering, and oppression define the agenda of humanity."
Erdoğan expressed that Anatolia is a geography where civilizations meet, different beliefs blend, and mosques, churches, and synagogues on the same street complement each other, saying: "This evening, distinguished representatives of Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish, Syriac, Catholic, and various other communities meet around the same table. I thank each of you individually for accepting our invitation. I particularly want to express that you are not only representatives of your own communities but also of Turkey’s multicultural and multi-faith social structure."
“The culture of living together is in the very yeast of these lands. Mutual respect is in the soul of these lands. Brotherhood is in the memory of these lands. Yunus Emre expressed this in his pure, clear Turkish: 'I read the meaning of the four books. I memorized them; when it came to love, I saw it was but one long syllable.' This is the essence, the summary, the core of the matter: To love the created for the sake of the Creator. It is neither anyone’s place nor right to categorize people created by Allah, to engage in racism, or to marginalize based on sect or disposition."
“A New Church Was Built for the First Time in Republican History”
Stating that they have taken very comprehensive steps in the last 23 years, Erdoğan said: "We have made significant regulations regarding the return of the past properties of community foundations. With the reforms we implemented in foundation legislation, we expanded the rights of community foundations. We restored many churches and houses of worship that had been neglected for many years and placed them back at the service of the communities. We also provided serious convenience regarding the religious officials needed by the communities. For the first time in Republican history, a new church was built during our tenure."
Stating that the Mor Afrem Syriac Orthodox Church, opened for worship in Yeşilköy, Istanbul, is a strong symbol of the atmosphere of religious freedom in Turkey, Erdoğan used the following words: "We are greatly pleased to see our citizens of different faiths active in academia, bureaucracy, the business world, and politics. The recent appointment of a citizen of Armenian descent as a district governor and the fact that our Armenian deputies have long served in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey are among the best examples of this. Inshallah, in the coming period, we will continue to further enhance this climate in cooperation and unity with you."
Stating that "certain international circles unfairly criticize Turkey on the issue of religious freedom," Erdoğan said: "The words of those who place hostility toward Turkey at the center of their politics have no value in our eyes. Turkey is an exemplary country where everyone possesses freedom of religion and conscience, can freely fulfill their beliefs, where communities can maintain their own institutions, and where mutual respect prevails. What occurred during the visit of the spiritual leader of the Catholic world, Pope Leo XIV, to Turkey is an important indicator of this. Both the prayer program in Iznik and the mass held in Istanbul were performed thanks to the facilities provided by our state."
“Antisemitism is a Crime, an Unjustifiable Evil”
Stating that the world today faces serious problems such as discrimination, hate speech, and marginalization, Erdoğan noted: "Islamophobia, which has escalated particularly in recent years, clearly threatens both our people and the culture of living together. As Turkey, we are against all forms of discrimination. We are determinedly fighting against this both domestically and internationally. Likewise, we have no tolerance for dark, DAESH-like structures that bomb mosques, churches, or synagogues without distinction and have no respect even for places of worship. As I have always said, just as Islamophobia is a crime against humanity, antisemitism is also a crime; it is an evil that cannot be considered reasonable or legitimate. Our goal is clear. We have built, and inshallah will continue to build, a Turkey together where everyone living on these lands feels equal, free, and safe."
Erdoğan thanked the clerics who attended the iftar invitation and wished that Ramadan would bring peace, tranquility, and abundance to the country, the nation, and all of humanity.
