BTTDD Keşan Branch visits Gümülcine and İskeçe to strengthen ties with Western Thrace Turkish community

The Keşan Branch of the Batı Trakya Türkleri Dayanışma Derneği (BTTDD) carried out an official visit to Gümülcine and İskeçe as part of a series of engagements aimed at reinforcing solidarity with the Western Thrace Turkish community.

The delegation, led by Keşan Branch President Mehmet Mümin Lütfüoğlu and board members, met with key representatives of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace. During the day-long program, the delegation extended Ramadan iftar invitations and held consultations on current issues concerning the community.

As part of the visit, the delegation also paid tribute at the grave of the late leader of the Western Thrace Turks, Dr. Sadık Ahmet, in Gümülcine, offering prayers in his memory. Dr. Sadık Ahmet remains a symbolic figure for minority rights and political representation in the region.

High-Level Meetings

Within the framework of the visit, the BTTDD Keşan Branch delegation held meetings with:

• Aykut Ünal, Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye in Gümülcine
• Mustafa Trampa, Chairman of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board and Mufti of İskeçe
• İbrahim Şerif, Mufti of Gümülcine
• Çiğdem Asafoğlu, President of the Dostluk Eşitlik Barış Partisi (Friendship, Equality and Peace Party – FEP)
• Sedat Hasan, President of the Gümülcine Turkish Youth Union

Representatives of the İskeçe Türk Birliği

Discussions focused on community solidarity, minority rights, religious and cultural institutions, and strengthening cooperation between civil society organizations in Türkiye and Western Thrace.

Emphasis on Solidarity and Hospitality

BTTDD Keşan Branch officials expressed their gratitude for the warm hospitality shown by all institutions and representatives in Western Thrace. The association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the rights, unity, and cultural heritage of the Western Thrace Turkish minority.

The visit is seen as part of broader efforts to maintain close institutional ties and reinforce mutual dialogue between Turkish civil society organizations and minority representatives in Greece.