Reaction from Miki Mayor for the prevention of the school garden for the hatim ceremony
Miki (Mustafçova) Mayor Rıdvan Delihüseyin reacted to those who prevented the use of the school garden for the hatim ceremony in Glafki (Gökçepınar) village in Xanthi.
The use of the minority primary school garden was prevented to the parents of the students in order to serve rice to the guests participating in the hatim ceremony. This event is traditionally held every year in Glafki (Gökçepınar) village.
The prevention of the use of the school garden, which has been used for the same purpose for years without any problems, by the Xanthi Provincial Education Director, created big reaction.
Stilyanidu, the Xanthi Primary Schools Provincial Education Director, gave a negative response to the school board's request which was delivered through the school administration, to use the school garden for the hatim ceremony.
Upon this response, the school principal and vice principal informed the council committee that they would not use the garden within the framework of hatim activities.
In her official reply to the school, Education Director Stilyanidu claimed that the hatim ceremonies had no cultural or educational connection with the school community.
Stilianidu stated that the hatim ceremony was all about the existing mosque in the village. That is why she did not give a positive opinion for the use of the school garden for this purpose.
Thereupon, the school administration informed the council committee that they could not use the school garden for hatim activities.
It was surprising that the students studying at Glafki (Gökçepınar) Minority Primary School were prevented from using the school garden, which was requested for serving rice within the framework of the hatim ceremony held in the village mosque.
Despite the fact that all the authorities regarding the school buildings in minority schools is known to be in the school committees, such a development has raised questions in the minds.
The first degree provincial education directorate's intervention in an issue that should have been decided by the will of the council committee brought many new questions to mind.
According to the information obtained, in previous years, a positive opinion was always expressed by the first-degree provincial education directorate about this subject and minority school gardens were used without any problems.
In his press release Mayor of Miki (Mustafçova) Delihüseyin stated that similar views and behaviors only lead to discrimination in the society. Delihüseyin stated that he will always stand up for our culture, customs and traditions and oppose similar situations and behaviours.
Mayor Delihüseyin also stated that he strongly condemned these decisions of the Primary Education Provincial Director of Education and Primary School Director, which had no serious basis.
WHAT IS HATİM?: If someone read the Quran from the beginning to end, he/she completes the hatim. Students who receive religious education in Qur'an courses in Western Thrace learn to read the Qur'an from beginning to end throughout the year.
These students who learn to read the Quran and complete the religious studies then graduate. Graduation ceremonies are held in mosques.
Meat rice (pilaf) and ayran are traditionally served to those who attend the ceremonies. All of these students are educated in minority primary schools.
