By Ferdi Turkten
ANKARA (AA) – In New York for UN meetings, Türkiye’s president has presented to fellow world leaders books on the coexistence of different faiths and the case for UN reform, according to the Turkish Communications Directorate.
On Tuesday, amid the UN General Assembly, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presented the books, which lay out the democratization steps, comprehensive reforms, and legal regulations for different religions and belief groups in Türkiye taken over the last two decades, during his tenure as Turkish leader.
The book UN Reform: A New Approach to International Cooperation, presenting Turkish arguments for reform of the world body, covers such subjects as the United Nations’ importance in the field of international peace, peacekeeping, and problems of humanity, and reasons and recommendations for UN reform.
The book Different Faiths, Mutual Understanding in Peace in the Same Geography, prepared by the directorate for this year's UN General Assembly with an introduction by Erdogan, addresses such subjects as removing obstacles to the use of different languages and dialects, realizing a more democratic and pluralistic structure in the education system, and expanding the cultural rights and freedoms of different religion and faith groups.
The book also tells about Erdogan’s meetings with representatives of various faiths over the years.
The book, prepared in Turkish and English, emphasizes that democratic reform steps taken in every field under Erdogan’s leadership have reached every sector of society, regardless of language, religion, or race.
"Just like yesterday, Türkiye will continue to take concrete and permanent steps in every field on efforts to live in peace under the same sky with different religions and belief groups," the book says.
- ‘We will continue to embrace everyone who has bonds to Türkiye through citizenship’
In his introduction, Erdogan says a country's level of civilization is possible with economic and technological development, as well as individuals' full enjoyment of their freedom of religion and belief.
Stressing how the Turkish Republic’s predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, managed to realize peace among its subjects of different beliefs, cultures, and languages in peace and tranquility for six centuries, Erdogan writes: "It is our duty to both our history and future generations to continue this trait inherited from our ancestors. With this understanding, in the last 21 years, we have taken many steps towards expanding freedom of religion and conscience and meeting the demands and needs of all faith groups living in our country."
"We did not allow any of our citizens to be marginalized, despised, or despised. Although the sufferings experienced in our region for the last 150 years have caused many troubles and destruction, we did not allow the slightest wavering in our will to live together," he added.
"At a time when intolerance is increasing and cultural racism and fanaticism are spreading like a plague all over the world, we see that this encompassing understanding, which accepts our nation's differences as wealth, has become even more important," the president also said.
"As members of a civilization that sees 'human beings as the most honorable of creation,' we will continue to embrace everyone who has bonds to Türkiye through citizenship, without any discrimination," he stressed, calling the work done by the Communications Directorate "exceptional."