29 January Day of Social Solidarity and National Resistance commemorated in Meschede
Meschede Western Thrace Turks Solidarity and Solidarity Association, a member of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), organised a commemoration event on Sunday, 4 February at the clubhouse of the association on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the 29th January Social Solidarity and National Resistance Day, which was a turning point in the struggle for rights and freedoms of the Turkish community in Western Thrace.
Meschede Western Thrace Turks Solidarity and Solidarity Association, a member of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), organised a commemoration event on Sunday, 4 February at the clubhouse of the association on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the 29th January Social Solidarity and National Resistance Day, which was a turning point in the struggle for rights and freedoms of the Turkish community in Western Thrace. The event was attended by ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu and ABTTF Supervisory Board member Şerif Şerif as well as the executives and members of the Meschede association.
In the commemoration event which started with a minute of silence for those who struggled for the just cause of the Turkish community in Western Thrace and lost their lives, Şerif Şerif, Vice President of Meschede Association made the opening speech. Afterwards, a short cinevision show about 29 January was made.
ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu said in his speech at the commemoration event that Western Thrace Turks took to the streets on 29 January 1988 against the closure of their association named "Turkish" and the denial of Turkish identity by shouting "We are Turks" to the whole world. Habipoğlu stated that the Western Thrace Turks who took to the streets again on the same day two years later were attacked and added that although 36 years have passed, unfortunately there has been no change in the minority rights of the Western Thrace Turks, on the contrary, their rights have worsened.
Underlining that in 2003 there were 226 primary schools belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace while in the 2023-2024 academic year this number decreased to 90 due to closures in violation of educational autonomy, Habipoğlu noted that while there are 141 state kindergartens in Rhodope and Xanthi and 77 in Evros, there is not a single Turkish minority kindergarten in these provinces. Similarly, while there are 25 state secondary schools and high schools in Rhodope and 32 in Xanthi, there is only one Turkish minority secondary school and high school in these two provinces.
Stating that ABTTF expressed the problems of the Turkish community in Western Thrace before the European Union (EU), the Council of Europe, the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Habipoğlu noted that two written parliamentary questions were submitted to the EU Commission and a petition was submitted to the European Parliament (EP) Committee on Petitions regarding the problems in the field of education.
Habipoğlu pointed out that the Turkish community in Western Thrace has not made a step forward in its rights due to the attitude of Greece, but that it is no longer alone in its struggle and stated that Western Thrace Turks are in dialogue and solidarity with other national minorities in Europe.
Habipoğlu said, "29 Januarys cannot be forgotten! We will continue our struggle for our rights with the same determination and determination!"
