Bıyıklıköy iftar brings hundreds of kinsmen together

An iftar program was held on the evening of Monday, March 24, in Bıyıklıköy, a village under the jurisdiction of Kozlukebir Municipality.

Organized by the residents of Bıyıklıköy, the event brought together hundreds of compatriots from the village and surrounding areas. Guests were welcomed in the mosque courtyard by the village trustees and locals.

Among the special guests were Türkiye’s Consul General in Komotini, Aykut Ünal, and his wife İlayda Ünal, as well as Komotini Mufti İbrahim Şerif, who were greeted with flowers. As the call to prayer marked the time for iftar, attendees broke their fast, and the iftar prayer was led by Dr. Süleyman Taş, a religious official from the Kocaeli Mufti’s Office in Türkiye.

Remarks from Officials
Following the iftar, Kozlukebir Mayor Erdem Hüseyin gave a brief welcoming speech, thanking all guests for their participation and extending his best wishes for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr. He also expressed gratitude to Bursa Yıldırım Mayor Oktay Yılmaz for his strong support of Western Thrace, stating, “Although Mayor Yılmaz is not originally from Western Thrace, he has a deep affection for our region and always embraces us. I sincerely thank him for building bridges of solidarity between Bursa and Western Thrace.”

Komotini Mufti İbrahim Şerif addressed the attendees, extending his appreciation to the guests from Türkiye. He reminded everyone that the holy month of Ramadan was coming to an end and conveyed his well wishes for Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr, saying, “May Allah grant us the opportunity to honor Laylat al-Qadr and celebrate Eid together. I thank our guests from Bursa for joining us, and I wish you all a blessed Eid.”

Turkey’s Consul General in Komotini, Aykut Ünal, emphasized that the Consulate General has made it a priority to be present with the Turkish community throughout Ramadan. He expressed his gratitude to those who organized the iftar and extended an invitation to all compatriots to attend the Eid celebration event at the Turkish Consulate on the first day of Eid.

Bursa Yıldırım Mayor Oktay Yılmaz addressed the crowd, greeting all attendees and conveying warm regards from the Western Thracian community in Bursa. He remarked, “Bursa carries the spirit of Western Thrace, and today we have seen that Western Thrace also carries the spirit of Bursa.” He praised the locals for preserving their cultural and religious identity, adding, “The value of protecting one’s faith and heritage in this land is immense. We have always stood by you and will continue to do so. Thank you for welcoming us to this iftar, and may you all have a blessed Eid.”

The iftar gathering concluded with the evening prayer at Bıyıklıköy Mosque.