Emine Erdogan, the First Lady of Türkiye and spouse of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addressed the 6th Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen held in Kyiv via a video message.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Emine Erdogan expressed her best wishes for the success of the event and extended her gratitude to Olena Zelenskaya, the spouse of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for hosting the summit.
In her speech, Emine Erdogan emphasized the deep-rooted traditions of volunteerism and philanthropy within Turkish society. She recalled that during the Ottoman era, over 26,000 charitable foundations (waqfs) operated to provide care for the elderly, orphans, and animals. The First Lady noted that this tradition continues in Turkish culture through the concept of "patronage," which serves to protect the conscience of humanity.
Addressing the challenges of the modern era, she remarked that the increasing distance between individuals and the weakening of social bonds reduce the resilience of societies in the face of crises. She stressed the significance of the philosophy that "human is the home of human," highlighting that mutual support is essential for societal stability.
Emine Erdogan cited the solidarity demonstrated by the Turkish people during the devastating earthquakes on February 6 as a prime example of this philosophy in action. She also commended the Ukrainian people for maintaining unity and solidarity amidst the ongoing war.
The Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, initiated by Olena Zelenskaya, has become a significant international platform for discussing humanitarian issues, social challenges, and the role of soft power in global diplomacy. By bringing together spouses of world leaders, the initiative aims to foster international cooperation on critical social agendas.
Concluding her address, Emine Erdogan congratulated Ukraine on the 35th anniversary of its Independence Day and wished the Ukrainian people peace and prosperity.
