The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Ersin Tatar, attended the 7th Turkish Cypriot Cultural Festival held in London.
The festival saw participation from UK Member of Parliament Iain Duncan Smith, TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Environment, and Culture Fikri Ataoğlu, Turkey’s Ambassador to London Osman Koray Ertaş, TRNC London Representative Çimen Keskin, President of the Cyprus Turkish Contractors Union Cafer Gürcafer, President of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce Turgay Deniz, local council members, representatives of the Turkish Cypriot and Turkish communities, as well as former members of the UK Parliament and other officials.
The event was organized by the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations in England, a coalition of 20 associations in London and surrounding areas, and took place at Donkey Lane in Enfield.
In his opening speech, Kenan Nafi, President of the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations in England, thanked everyone who attended the festival. He acknowledged those who contributed to the festival’s success and emphasized the significant role the festival plays in passing on Turkish Cypriot culture to future generations. Nafi highlighted that the festival promotes unity, happiness, and sharing. Turkey’s Ambassador to London, Osman Koray Ertaş, stated, “This festival is a meaningful gathering where Turkish Cypriots say, ‘We are also here.’ It is a way to convey our culture and traditions to new generations. The Republic of Turkey and TRNC will continue to walk hand in hand.”
President Ersin Tatar, in his speech, said: “We were here last year, and we are here again this year. I sincerely thank the President of the Council for their six months of efforts that brought us here. Six weeks ago, I went to Australia. I managed to visit there as the first TRNC President. I greet and thank our people who came here years ago and never severed their ties with TRNC. It is never easy to make all these sacrifices. Turkish Cypriots have never forgotten their roots. We will continue to fight for the rights of Turkish Cypriots.”
Conservative Party MP candidates for Chingford and Woodford Iain Duncan Smith expressed his pleasure in attending the festival, noting that the Turkish Cypriot community fights for their rights and particularly supports direct flights to TRNC. Smith wished everyone attending the festival a pleasant time with their families.
Turkey’s Ambassador to London, Osman Koray Ertaş, thanked President Tatar on behalf of the large Turkish community in London for attending the festival. Ertaş emphasized the festival’s importance in showing the presence of the Turkish Cypriot community and its significant role in passing on culture and language to new generations. He stressed unity and cooperation, predicting a rise for the TRNC and Turkish diaspora in the UK.
TRNC Deputy Prime Minister Fikri Ataoğlu thanked everyone who attended and supported the festival, emphasizing the importance of transmitting culture to future generations. He noted that the Turkish Cypriot community in England, which has reached the fourth generation, must understand its past to walk confidently into the future. Highlighting the importance of youth, Ataoğlu stressed the role of families in conveying past experiences to younger generations and expressed the ministry’s continued support for these efforts.
TRNC London Representative Çimen Keskin highlighted the festival’s importance in preserving Turkish Cypriot culture, noting the success of the community in all fields and its pride in reaching the fourth generation in the UK. Keskin congratulated the council on organizing the festival and wished for its continuation in unity and solidarity.
Taking part in part in the festival this year was the Cyprus Turkish Contractors Union and 8 of its members, where they showcased new developments to festival attendees.
The festival featured students from Turkish schools in London performing folk dances in traditional costumes. The event also included performances by Group Ayna, Eylem, and Group S.O.S, with the Metropolitan Turkish Police Association setting up a stand to showcase their work.
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