'2023 International Human Rights and Culture Award' to Xanthi Turkish Union and BAKEŞ

"2023 International Human Rights and Culture Awards" given by the Rumelia Opinion Leaders found their owners with a ceremony held in Istanbul on 10 October Tuesday. From Western Thrace, Xanthi Turkish Union and Western Thrace Minority Culture and Education Company (BAKEŞ) were deemed worthy of the award.
The award ceremony organised by the Rumelia Opinion Leaders Platform for the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey was held on 10 October Tuesday at Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar International Congress and Exhibition Palace. At the ceremony, "International Human Rights and Culture Awards" were presented to individuals and organisations working for Turkish culture and civilisation, Turkish language and friendship between countries in the Balkans.
In addition to the award ceremony, the event also included Balkan music and various programmes on Balkan culture and life.
2023 International Human Rights and Culture Awards were received by former President Hüsrev Emin and current President Tahsin İbrahim on behalf of Union of Macedonian Turkish Civil Society Organisations (MATÜSİTEB) from North Macedonia, Prof. Dr. Adnan İsmaili on behalf of Prof. Dr. Süleyman Baki, Mehdi Gurra and Prof. Dr. Ferit Duka from Albania, President Ozan Ahmetoğlu on behalf of Xanthi Turkish Union, President Hüseyin Bostancı on behalf of BAKEŞ, Sanjin Kodrich on behalf of Preporod Association from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Other awardees were TURKSAD Kırcaali and Nurten Remzi from Bulgaria, Selma Kuçeviç on behalf of the Mayor of Tutin Municipality Şemsettin Kuçeviç from Sandzak, his son Enes Husovic on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro Rafet Husovic, Raif Vırmiça and Aluş Nuş from Kosovo and Gülten Abdula from Romania.
Founded in 2021 in Istanbul, Rumelia Opinion Leaders consists of ministers, deputies, bureaucrats, representatives of non-governmental organisations, bureaucrats, industrialists, business people, etc. of Rumelia origin who have served in Turkey.
Rumelia Opinion Leaders, which is a community of thought, defines their mission and objectives with the following words: "We aimed to address all problems within a framework that covers the entire Rumelia community, to provide logistical support to all kinds of events, to develop friendly relations with all NGOs operating for Rumelia and Rumelia people, to consult and work together.
We have come together with the mission to create a participatory and democratic society with the spirit of unity and solidarity, to ensure cultural continuity, to strengthen the dialogue with our people living in the Balkans and the Balkan countries, and to carry out active activities both in the Balkans and in Turkey."