By Manal Abdel Fattah
Within the framework of the activities of the Week of Remembrance of the writer of the Turkish national anthem and poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, former Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation 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 embassy’s residence. Turkish in Cairo.
The Turkish ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Şen, said in his opening speech at the symposium that the writer of the national anthem and poet, Muhammad Akif Ersoy, constituted a source of moral strength in the emergence of the Turkish people on the stage of history with new strength and also shaped their future with the inspiration he provided, adding that Muhammad Akif had a prominent influence.
On the conscience and personalities of the ruling cadres in Turkey today.
Ambassador Shen pointed out that Muhammad Akef Arsoy lived in Egypt, in the Helwan region, for 10 years of his life, and produced many works during these years, explaining that Arsoy 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. Also, Mr. Ihsanoglu’s father, the late Mr. Ihsan Efendi, lived in Cairo and that he was a close friend of our national poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy.
Therefore, Dr. Ihsanoglu, thanks to the information and knowledge he acquired about his father, is the best person to know the poet Muhammad Akef.
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.
