Ashraf AboArafe
Within the framework of the activities of the Week of Remembrance of the writer of the Turkish national anthem, the poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, Professor Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, former Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)and author of the book “The Turks in Egypt and Their Cultural Heritage,” held a symposium entitled “My Father’s Friend, Mehmet Akif,” at the residence of the Turkish Embassy. In Cairo.
In his opening speech at the symposium, Turkey’s Ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Shen, said that the writer of the national anthem and poet, Mehmet Akif Ersoy, constituted a source of moral strength in the emergence of the Turkish people on the stage of history with new strength, and he also shaped their future with the inspiration he provided.
He added that Muhammad Akif has a prominent influence on the conscience and personalities of the ruling cadres in Turkey today.
Ambassador Shen pointed out that Muhammad Akef Ersoy lived in Egypt (Helwan region) for 10 years of his life and produced many works during these years, explaining that Ersoy has a great status and a bond that cannot be severed between the two brotherly peoples.
Ambassador Shen continued: “We will continue to commemorate our national poet with gratitude, and keep his memory alive and pass it on to the younger generations,” noting that some projects will be implemented in this context in the coming period.
Ambassador Shen said that this symposium will be presented by Professor Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, who was born in Egypt and lived in Egypt until the age of 27 years. Also, Mr. Ihsanoglu’s father, the late Mr. Ihsan Efendi, lived in Cairo and was a close friend of our national poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy. Therefore, Professor Dr. Ihsanoglu, thanks to the information and knowledge he gained about his father, is the best person who knows the poet Mehmet Akif.
Ambassador Shen concluded his speech by saying: “We would like to transfer this information and knowledge to the brotherly Egyptian people.”
The symposium was attended by many professors, academics and intellectuals from Turkish language departments in Egyptian universities and a large group of students studying at the Yunus Emre Institute in Cairo, in addition to some Egyptian journalists.
