Turkey’s president visits Turkevi Center ahead of inauguration

By Servet Günerigök

NEW YORK (AA) - Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the soon-to-open Turkevi Center on Sunday for a brief survey, shortly after landing in New York.

Erdogan is in New York to attend the 76th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

He was met by Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar, a group of diplomats including Volkan Bozkir, president of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, and Turkish deputy foreign ministers.

After his visit to the gorgeous 36-story skyscraper located at 821 First Avenue in Manhattan across from UN headquarters, Erdogan will address members of the Turkish American community at an event held by the Turkish American National Steering Committee.

He will officially inaugurate the building, which will also house the UN permanent mission of Turkey and Turkish Consulate General, on Monday.

The building, which features traditional Turkish architectural motifs, especially from the Seljuk Empire, rises to the sky in the shape of a tulip and can be seen from downtown Manhattan, the East River and Long Island.

It was designed as a symbolic skyscraper that will add to the skyline of New York, one of the world’s most iconic cities, and reflect Turkish culture, history and diversity.