A documentary entitled “Road to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus“, which describes the CYPRUS Issue and the experiences of the Turks on the island, was presented to the audience at its launch held in Nicosia. The documentary, which was screened before the 39th anniversary of the TRNC received great acclaim. It presents to the public in an impartial manner what has happened so far in the young country.
The documentary, “Road to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, was produced and directed by Bahçeşehir University (BAU) Centre for Civilization Studies (MEDAM), with the contributions and cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and Bahçeşehir Cyprus University. It was shown at the Concorde Tower Hotel in Nicosia. The introductory presentation was attended by President of TRNC, Ersin Tatar, President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şentop, President of the TRNC Republic Assembly, Zorlu Töre, President of Turks Abroad and Related Communities, Abdullah Eren, Commander of the Northern Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces, Major General Sezai Öztürk, Commander of Security Forces, Zorlu Topaloğlu, Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institutions (BUEK) Chief Executive Board, Hüseyin Yücel, Bahçeşehir Cyprus University Board of Trustees Chairman, Eral Osmanlar, Bahçeşehir University Rector, Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz, Rector of Bahçeşehir Cyprus University, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Toycan, TRNC Ministers, bureaucrats from both countries, BAU MEDAM Director, Ağah Karlıağa. Other academics and citizens also attended.
“THE PAST WILL LIGHT THE PRESENT”
Making the opening speech of the launch held before the 39th anniversary of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to be celebrated on November 15, Bahçeşehir Cyprus University Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Eral Osmanlar, said, “On behalf of myself and my institution, the 9th Organization of Turkish States held in Samarkand three days ago, we ask our President of the Assembly, Mr. Mustafa Şentop, to convey his gratitude to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who enabled the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to receive the status of an observer member at the Heads of State Summit. We are excited to present our documentary about the glorious struggle for freedom of the Turkish Cypriots, our struggle, to the audience today. We know that if we don’t tell our story correctly, we will be exposed to someone’s biased history telling. If we do not keep our heroes alive, our children will look for historical facts in the wrong places tomorrow. With this awareness, as Bahçeşehir Cyprus University family, we wanted to carry the epic written by our heroes to the present and the future. We, who have resisted the Greek atrocities for decades without fear; Those who gave their lives, gave blood, but did not give up their freedom. TRNC, with the common agreement of all parties in the parliament, was established with the support of the Turkish Cypriot people from seven to seventy and with the love for independence. While there was so much pain and sacrifice in the past, what we need to do today is to protect and glorify this heavenly homeland and our Republic, which was founded on November 15, 1983. The documentary we launched was prepared for this purpose and will shed light from the past to the present and will tell the path that goes all the way to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as an immortal work.” said.
“WE WILL NOT FORGET THE PAIN”
President of Turks Abroad and Related Communities, Abdullah Eren, said, “As an institution, we serve our cognates all over the world. As a nation, we have a talent, we forget the pain we have experienced, we do not want to remember it. We have three purposes in the documentary, the first is not to let us forget the pain we went through. The second is to tell the world about this issue. Third, we have to look for new ways. It is also a new way for Cyprus to gain observer status. Everyone will do their part in this regard. From now on, we will continue to fulfill our responsibilities in the relationship between Turkish communities and Cyprus. It is very important for us that the Turkish communities know and know Cyprus much better. We must do these works so that we can explain to other Turkish communities what many people like Cengiz Topel and Rauf Denktaş, who worked for the independence of the island, died for.”
“IT WILL BE A PERMANENT EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL”
Bahcesehir University Rector, Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz, added, “Our main aim in the documentary is to clarify the just struggles of the Turkish Cypriots by going into the details of the political and social problem in Cyprus and revealing that the TRNC is not an artificial or vassal state. It is to ensure that the Turks always extend the olive branch as the closest party to reconciliation and peace on the island, and to be informed about the importance and place of Cyprus in Turkey’s long-term plans. In this context, it is necessary for young people to assimilate the development process of the Cyprus problem in an historical perspective, what kind of obstacles were encountered and what price was paid.
It aims to contribute to its recognition in the world international platform as an official political power and state and to positively change the misconceptions about the struggles of the Turkish Cypriots. The documentary, which was shot in places such as Maraş, Girne, Gazi Famagusta, Nicosia, Lefke, and the Karpaz Peninsula, reveals the dramatic transformations in the lives of the Turkish Cypriots, the changes created by the 1974 Peace Operation, and the processes that continue today and after the TRNC was established in 1983.
EXPERIENCES ARE REPORTED THROUGH HUMAN STORIES
The Ottoman Empire, which conquered Cyprus in 1571, left the administration of the island to England in 1878. The process that started with London’s favoring the Greek people on the island led to the emergence of the idea of Enosis, supported by Greece. The documentary, which tells about the attacks against the Turkish Cypriots and the attitude of the Republic of Turkey against them, and the struggle for existence of the Turkish Cypriots, includes the details of the events and human stories.
Source (Turkish): Bahcesehir University Corporate Communications
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