The Turkish Woman Philanthropic Association (TWPA) organized an exhibition on Sunday, September 17th, to commemorate the Turkish Cypriot women and men who volunteered in the Cyprus Regiment during World War II.
The event featured an exhibition focusing on Turkish Cypriot men and women who participated in the Cyprus Regiment during World War II, when Cyprus was under British Imperial rule.
Guest included John Oates, Berna Sermet, the niece of Cemal Mustafa, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Consul General of London Namık Cafer attended the exhibition as well as members of TWPA and the community.
In her speech, TWPA President Seyyare Beyzade stated: “It is important for us to remember the history of our ancestors. We need to remember our brave men and women: our parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, loved ones; those who voluntarily fought for our freedom. We often need to be reminded of the freedom we traditionally accept. It is crucial to remind the world that we were a part of the British Army, not only during World War II but also in subsequent wars like Korea and the Suez Canal conflicts. We must teach the younger generations that the Cypriot Turks had indispensable brave soldiers for the allied forces and that they deserve to be honoured on this Remembrance Day. Our ancestors’ history is fading away; we must keep records of our families who fought in the war…”
Also announced that TWPA and Beyzade have newly founded the ‘Lest We Forget’ charity at the event, stating the charity’s main aim is to keep the memory of Turkish Cypriot soldiers and servicewomen alive and to celebrate their lives. Beyzade said: “We hope that ‘Lest We Forget’ will be a group that brings together Turkish Cypriots in London and across the UK. Where we remember our family members and ancestors for generations to come and keep their memories alive.”
