The Turkish Cypriot Youth Association (KTGBI) saw a12 of their member take a cultural tour of North Cyprus for a week during the 8 to 14 April. Travelling across the island the young members spent a week learning, tasting and enjoying the rich culture of the island’s history.
KTGBI first official stop was with North Cyprus’s President Mustafa Akıncı. Akıncı spoke with the group expressing his support as a saying the important that Turkish Cypriot young people in London would not lose their ties with the Turkish Cypriot people and culture.
Talking about how many individuals from almost every family migrated to London over the years, and those new generations had come into the world. He added that it is important that the new generations do not break ties with the Turkish Cypriot people and their culture.
The group took a walking tour of the capitals city centre, looking at the and visiting Yiğitler Burcu, Saçaklı House, Bandabulya, Büyük Han, Bedesten, Büyük Hamam, Selimiye Mosque and Sulariçi also they visited the Barbarian Museum in Nicosia as part of a cultural and historical tour.
One of their visits was also to KOOP SÜT, learning about the country’s production of dairy products, from milk to the famous Hellim which they have been producing for 60 years. They were given a tour of the factory and show how the production of their product.
The second day of the tour saw them visit they Minister of Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, while in London Ataoglu invited the group to visit North Cyprus to learn and not forgot the culture of the country.
KTGBI President Nafiya Horozoğlu, stated that they visited the island with the guidance of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and they visited the enterprises that are producing in our country and organized visits to the villages which are engaged in agriculture and farming.
Adding that they were very happy that such an opportunity was presented to them and thanked Minister Ataoğlu once again on behalf of the youth. He also stated that he has many projects to be made as to the KTGBI and he looked forward to working cooperatively with them.
On their third day of touring the group meet with North Cyprus’s Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman talking to about the aim of the culture trip and how they wanted to strengthen their ties with their hometown.Horozoğlu pointed out that even if the Turkish Cypriot youth born and raised in the UK frequently come to the TRNC, they could not travel much of the historical places. Therefore, they wanted to get to know the TRNC through cultural and historical perspective through this trip.
The week continued with touring these islands historic sites across the island taking stops at Bellapais Monastery learning, the Salamis ruins and learning more about the food, culture and lifestyle of their homeland.
