Brotherhood between Eastern and Western Turkey Strengthened with Eid al-Adha Visit
Thousands of people, including leading Turkish businessmen Haci Boydak, Faruk Güllü, Hazim Sesli, Ahmet Sait Kavurmaci and Refik Aydoğan, traveled to eastern regions of the country during Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) with the Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) charitable association, visiting areas to cheer up residents and to help strengthen relationships between eastern and western Turkey.
During the four-day Eid al-Adha, participants visited the residents of eastern provinces, including Diyarbakir, Şirnak and Van, in their homes, giving meat to every household as an Eid present. The residents from the eastern provinces thanked those coming from western regions of Turkey and said the bridge of brotherhood between eastern and western Turkey has been strengthened through these visits.
While stating that it is honorable to travel a long way to visit people in the East during Eid, Diyarbakir Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Galip Ensarioğlu stressed, "These people [who came to the eastern provinces for Eid] strengthened the unity and solidarity of Turkey through the bridge of brotherhood they made." Noting that improving dialogue between the people of eastern and western Turkey is of the utmost importance, Ensarioğlu said they appreciated that the visitors from the West left their homes during Eid to celebrate with people in the East.
Batman Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Mehmet Teymur also said the visit proved that there is brotherhood between western and eastern Turkey, adding that "they made a gesture to the people of the region. They showed their love and respect for the people by visiting homes. We want such events to continue and to gradually increase. I hope our businessmen [from eastern Turkey] will go to visit those in need in western regions."
Expressing that he found the visits very positive, Şirnak Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Osman Geliş said it was important that the visitors saw Şirnak with their own eyes, not through the media. "We are looking forward to other visits. Visits should not be limited to Eid visits. We cannot get to know each other only through the media, and it would be nice for us to go to western regions," he added. While thanking the organizers, Van Industrial Businessmen's Association Chairman Mehmet Çaldağ said people who arrived from the west witnessed the lives of eastern people and that they got to know each other.
Necla Hattapoğlu, chairperson of a Diyarbakir women's association, Hamdullah Sivri, chairman of a Van aid association, and Mehmet Şahin, chairman of a Mardin trade association, also expressed their support for such events and said activities such as this were more morally than materially satisfying.
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