BİHLİMDER issues a message for the academic year
The Board of Directors of Western Thrace Imam Hatip High School Graduates and Members Association (BİHLİMDER), in its message on the occasion of the new academic year which started on Monday 11 September 2023, stated the following
"As we start a new academic year, we would like to emphasise that learning, knowledge and education are very important for all of us. Learning is primarily to recognise oneself, one's Lord and one's environment. Being aware of the purpose of creation. It is the correct reading of existence and the whole system. What makes knowledge valuable is that it is for the benefit of humanity. It is to lead the society to justice, truth and goodness. It is to keep away from injustice, oppression and all kinds of discrimination and evil. Anything that will lead to the confusion of minds, the corruption of our future generations, the destruction of societies, and the destruction of the world we live in is worthless and harmful. Knowledge and information that is valuable, precious and should be valued is what is beneficial for humanity. Having knowledge and being equipped with knowledge is very valuable.
As our schools, formal and non-formal education institutions, which are the places where science and knowledge are taught, begin a new academic year, our students, teachers and, of course, our families are very important in this journey we set out on in order for this beginning to reach its goal. They will fulfil their duties in a careful manner within a unity.
As the heirs of a deep-rooted civilisation and a solid past, we should remind each other that we can only be pioneers with the consciousness and effort we have today and in the future as we were yesterday. By embracing the guidance of knowledge and wisdom while walking to the goal, we can be hope again in today's world, where divine and human values have been overlaid and postponed. To the extent that we move away from this goal and experience, we will become imitators and as a result of imitation, we will continue to be a part of violence and unrest.
Thousands of young people from Western Thrace will meet their schools on Monday 11 September, embrace their friends, hug their teachers, and our schools, which are houses of knowledge and wisdom, will come to life. We believe that the facilities, physical infrastructure and deficiencies of the schools of the Muslim Turkish minority of Western Thrace should not be an excuse for our children not to go to these schools and for us not to protect our schools in order to raise generations who are loyal to national and spiritual values and who are beneficial to their nation and humanity. For this reason, it is our primary responsibility to protect our schools and send our children to minority schools. We will continue to say loudly at all times and in all places that we do not accept and will never accept this situation that has been reached by ignoring the treaties and agreements regarding our schools.
Even under these circumstances, we will continue to demand and defend justice, compassion, respect, sharing, coexistence and human rights for others as much as we want them for ourselves. It is very difficult or unlikely that a wrongly started work will yield the right result. We have to make the right beginnings so that our opportunities and energy are not wasted, our hopes are not broken, and our unity and solidarity are not damaged.
Knowing and being aware that we have a civilisation that will guide us for our future, a solid past and a culture and tradition that has been valid for centuries, it is our primary duty, as an integral part of education and training, to moralise our children, our future, with the beautiful morals of the Prophet as an integral part of education and training.
On this occasion, we hope that the new academic year will bring good luck to our students, teachers, families and our minority."
