Nearly 1,000 attend community iftar in Ketenlik, Western Thrace

The collective Ramadan gathering took place on the evening of February 28 in the village square, drawing residents and members of neighboring communities in a strong display of solidarity and shared spiritual observance.

Emotional Quran Program by Students

Ahead of the breaking of the fast, students from the Ketenlik Quran Course presented a short program that created emotional moments for attendees. The children recited hymns and religious verses, earning warm applause from the crowd.

In keeping with local tradition, a Ramadan drummer marked the moment of iftar in the village square.

Addresses by Community Leaders

Brief greeting speeches were delivered before the meal by:

Mustafa Trampa, Chairman of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board and Mufti of İskeçe

Oktay Yılmaz, Mayor of Yıldırım (Bursa, Türkiye)

Aykut Ünal, Consul General of Türkiye in Gümülcine

Following the communal meal, participants performed the evening prayer together.

Cultural Exchange and Library Visit

After prayers, guests visited the Ketenlik Library, where representatives of the Ketenlik Youth Association and the Ketenlik Youth Festival provided information about their ongoing activities. Commemorative gifts were exchanged during the visit.

The Municipality of Yıldırım in Bursa presented attendees with copies of “Fetih Yolu” by Hasan Erdem as part of the “700 Books in the 700th Year” initiative.

Broad Participation

Among those attending the iftar were:

Friendship Equality Peace Party leader Çiğdem Asafoğlu

Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association Bursa Branch representatives

Local mayors Ahmet Kurt (Mustafçova) and Caner İmam (Yassıköy)

Municipal and regional council members

Community leaders and residents from surrounding villages

The event underscored strong cross-border cultural and communal ties between Western Thrace and Türkiye during the holy month of Ramadan.