Istanbul: Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan on Friday voiced her belief in the resilience of Gaza, aligning with the sentiments of Palestinians who envision a future where Gaza rises from its current devastation. Her remarks were made during the inauguration of the Kalanlar (The Remnants) Palestine Exhibition, an event jointly organized by the Kalyon Foundation and the Turkish Red Crescent in Istanbul.
According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan highlighted the severe challenges faced by Gaza, a small region of 365 square kilometers, describing it as the epicenter of a historical and systematic genocide that continues to inflict unimaginable suffering. Despite extensive destruction, the region's 2 million residents persist in struggling to survive under "unimaginably difficult" conditions.
Erdogan invoked the memory of the late Palestinian Refaat Alareer, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in December 2023, emphasizing the need to share the stories of those enduring the conflict and to advocate for the enforcement of international law to halt the ongoing cruelty. She noted the Palestinians' resilience, exemplified by a painter who uses limited resources to depict the harsh realities of hunger and a female agricultural engineer who has ingeniously converted seawater into drinking water, bypassing imposed embargoes.
The Turkish first lady emphasized that defending Palestine equates to defending humanity and the values that define it, asserting the collective right to maintain our humanity. Kalyon Foundation President Reyhan Kalyoncu shared with Anadolu that the exhibition aims to spotlight the honor, faith, and relentless struggle of the Palestinian people.
The opening ceremony saw the attendance of distinguished guests, including Palestinian Ambassador to Ankara Nasri Abu Jaish, Turkish Red Crescent President Fatma Meric Yilmaz, and Cemal Kalyoncu, Chairman of the Kalyon Holding Board of Directors. The exhibition, which presents six installations across various rooms and an experiential area, is scheduled to run until March 30 at Kalyon Culture in Istanbul. Attendees were offered traditional Palestinian cuisine, including soup, bagels, olives, and dates, to enhance awareness of the Palestinian plight.
The backdrop to this exhibition is the brutal conflict initiated by Israel in Gaza in October 2023, supported by the US, resulting in the death of over 71,000 Palestinians and injuries to more than 171,000, predominantly affecting women and children. Although a ceasefire proposed by Trump commenced on October 10, it has been repeatedly violated by Israel.