Strong attendance at “Selanik in Ankara – A storm swept us” talk in İskeçe

A new addition was made to the cultural and intellectual life of Western Thrace as the “Selanik in Ankara – A Storm Swept Us” talk, organized by the Western Thrace Minority Culture and Education Company (BAKEŞ), drew strong interest from the local community.

The event was held on Saturday, 14 November, at the İskeçe Cultural Center of the Association of Western Thrace Minority Higher Education Graduates. Dr. Selim Erdoğan served as the keynote speaker, offering attendees valuable insights into the historical and cultural journey from Rumelia to Ankara.

Distinguished Attendees

The talk was attended by a wide array of distinguished guests, including:

Aykut Ünal, Consul General of Türkiye in Gümülcine, and his wife İlayda Ünal

Mustafa Trampa, President of BTTADK and Mufti of İskeçe

Kerem Abdurrahimoğlu, President of the İskeçe Turkish Union

Hüseyin Baltacı, President of BTAYTD

Çiğdem Asafoğlu, President of the FEP Party

Dr. Hüseyin Bostancı, President of BAKEŞ

The participation of community leaders and local dignitaries underscored the event’s significance for the region.

Community Response

Mustafa Trampa highlighted the importance of the event on social media, expressing appreciation for BAKEŞ and the organizers:

“We attended the BAKEŞ-organized talk ‘From Rumelia to New Homeland Ankara’ with Dr. Selim Erdoğan. We thank BAKEŞ and all those involved for their efforts.”

The İskeçe Turkish Union also praised Dr. Erdoğan’s contributions, noting:

“We thank Dr. Selim Erdoğan for sharing his valuable knowledge and experience during BAKEŞ’s ‘İskeçe in Ankara – A Storm Swept Us’ event and wish him continued success in his work.”

BTAYTD President Hüseyin Baltacı described the talk as compelling and insightful:

“We attended Dr. Selim Erdoğan’s talk organized by BAKEŞ. It was truly captivating, highly valuable, and full of content. Heartfelt thanks to everyone involved.”

Cultural Impact

The BAKEŞ-organized talk made a notable contribution to the region’s cultural life, both in terms of content and audience engagement. The high attendance highlighted the strong interest of the Western Thrace community in cultural and educational events, reaffirming the need for similar initiatives in the area.