Hundreds gather for Ramadan iftar in Şapçı, Western Thrace
Members of the Turkish minority community gathered in large numbers in the town of Şapçı, in the Rhodope region of Western Thrace, for a collective iftar dinner marking the holy month of Ramadan.
The event, held Monday evening at the Dendraki venue in Şapçı, brought together prominent religious leaders, elected officials, and representatives from Türkiye and Western Thrace, highlighting cross-border solidarity and shared cultural ties.
Among the distinguished attendees were Türkiye’s Consul General in Gümülcine, Aykut Ünal, accompanied by his wife İlayda Ünal; Chairman of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board and Mufti of İskeçe Mustafa Trampa; Gümülcine Mufti İbrahim Şerif; Rodopi MP Özgür Ferhat; President of the Friendship Equality Peace Party (FEP) Çiğdem Asafoğlu; Regional Governor’s Advisor Ahmet Osman Pehlivan; as well as mayors, deputy mayors, municipal council members, and numerous institutional representatives.
Strong Participation from Türkiye
The iftar also drew high-level participation from Türkiye. Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey, Republican People’s Party (CHP) Bursa MP Hasan Öztürk, Head of Foreign Affairs at Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Ercüment Yılmaz, Foreign Affairs Branch Manager Canan Pala Giliğ, President of the Bursa Branch of the Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association Hasan Karaömer, and Chairman of Balkan TÜRSİAD İskender İskenderoğlu were among the guests.
The fast was broken with the evening call to prayer recited by religious official İsmail Ahmet of the Gümülcine Mufti’s Office. The iftar prayer was led by Mufti İbrahim Şerif.
Emphasis on Unity and Solidarity
Speakers throughout the evening underscored the spiritual atmosphere of Ramadan and the importance of social cohesion.
Mustafa Trampa emphasized that Ramadan strengthens feelings of brotherhood and mutual assistance, noting that such gatherings contribute significantly to communal unity.
İskender İskenderoğlu highlighted the sense of peace and abundance experienced by sharing the same table in Western Thrace, stressing the importance of standing united around common values.
Hasan Öztürk stated that Bursa holds a special place for Western Thrace Turks, while Mustafa Bozbey shared that he comes from a family that migrated from Thessaloniki, expressing his satisfaction at being present in Western Thrace. Bozbey noted that Ramadan is not only a period of fasting but also a time when emotional and cultural bridges are reinforced.
Consul General Aykut Ünal concluded by stressing the importance of unity and solidarity, thanking all participants who gathered at the iftar table and upheld shared values.
The event once again demonstrated the enduring cultural, religious, and social bonds connecting the Turkish minority in Western Thrace with Türkiye.
