Thousands of kinsmen meet at the Western Thrace Fair in Bursa
The 20th Western Thrace Fair and the 14th International Balkan Oil Wrestling Championship were held on September 18, 2022 in Bursa Gündoğdu Recreation Area with the participation of thousands of kinsmen. Participation and interest in the event once again proved the importance of Bursa for the Western Thracians.
The fair, which was suspended due to the pandemic and where our traditions that have existed for many years were revived, started with the arrival of the Fairmaster Ahmet Mehmet Yuvacı to the private square.
Ahmet Mehmet Yuvacı, who visited the BTTDD Bursa Branch Women's Branch stand to greet the fairground area, and BTTDD Bursa Branch Women's Branch President Dr. Fatma Aziz and our Women's Branch members thanked our women's branches for the treats specific to Western Thrace.
THE PROTOCOL HAS HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATION
In the 20th Western Thracians Fair and the 14th Balkan Oil Wrestling Championship, hosted by BTTDD Bursa Branch President Dr. Ali Eminalatif and Ağa Ahmet Mehmet Yuvacı were the last Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Commission, AK Party Bursa Deputy Hakan Çavuşoğlu, Deputy Chairman of the Great Unity Party Ekrem Alfatlı, Mayor of Osmangazi Mustafa Dündar, Deputy Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Ş. Fethi Yıldız, on behalf of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), Fatih Hafız Mehmet, Bursa AK Party Deputy Chairman Şakir Emin, BTSO Vice President İsmail Kuş, BATISİAD President Ahmet Er, Bursa Osmangazi, Yıldırım, Nilüfer and Gürsu Mayors and their deputies, and Balgöç President Prof. Dr. Along with Emin Balkan, many NGO presidents and members of the board of directors, the mukhtars of the most important neighborhoods of Bursa participated.
ALI EMINLATİF: IT IS THE DEBT OF ALL OF US TO HOLD THIS CASE
BTTDD Bursa Branch President Dr. Ali Eminlatif in his speech, said, “Dear guests, Western Thrace is our hometown. More than being our homeland, our life is our never-ending fight, which will not end until our rights are given. When Western Thrace is mentioned, only the region between Meriç and Karasu should not come to mind. On the contrary, Western Thrace means every point in the world where Western Thrace Turks live. Whether we live in Western Thrace, Turkey, Europe, or Australia. Our main concern is our homeland, our main concern is the protection of our rights in our homeland. Our brothers, fathers, and elders have worked so hard to protect these rights, and they have been persecuted a lot. There were those who sacrificed their lives for this cause. How lucky are we to be honorable members of such a minority, such a community. Despite the pleasing developments in our homeland, we are almost looking for the old days, let alone rejoicing in our homeland. While we are waiting for the solution to our problems in Western Thrace, we see that these problems are growing exponentially every day. The policies of intimidation and rejection, which have been implemented for years, do not change regardless of who they are, and it is almost as if our society is wanted to be transformed into one of the most oppressed communities in the world. Our immigration problem, education problem, mufti and foundations problems are not wanted to be solved, our right to education in mother tongue is restricted, our schools are closed and our foundation lands are tried to be usurped. We will continue to defend and seek our rights through democratic means on every platform, as the previous ones did. Our struggle will continue as a community, not as individuals. Because we are Western Thrace Turks, we must do our best to transfer the awareness of struggle we received from our grandfathers to the new generations as we do. We should raise awareness of our new generations in this context and eliminate the disconnection between our youth. It is in our hands to raise young people who will not hesitate to entrust our Western Thrace. It is our duty to leave the legacy of Western Thrace Turkishness, which we received from our grandfathers, to our youth with the same awareness. Let's not forget, this case is on everyone's shoulders, old and young, woman, man, and child. It is our duty to keep this cause alive.” she said.
HAKAN ÇAVUŞOĞLU: WE MAKE NO CONCESSIONS
Hakan Çavuşoğlu, stating that he was extremely pleased to address his kinsmen at the opening of the fair, said, “Today, there is a Turkey that worries about every problem of the Balkan people. Look, games are being played even on Western Thrace, where our relatives live today. We do not allow this. We are not the cause of the recent tension with Greece. The reason for this tension is the Greek policies, which still do not recognize the mufti we have chosen, close our schools, and try to assimilate our people, contrary to the Lausanne and Athens agreements. We will not allow these cheap policies, we, as the Republic of Turkey, will continue to defend the rights of all our kinsmen there".
MUSTAFA DÜNDAR: WE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE
Osmangazi Mayor Mustafa Dundar, who expressed his satisfaction for the 20th time that a beautiful event where traditions and customs are kept alive, said, “I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the organization of this beautiful event that has been instrumental in our unity and solidarity. Just as we have existed in the Balkan geography until today, we will continue to exist from now on. We will not leave our country to its fate alone and as a solution".
BBP VICE PRESIDENT EKREM ALFATLI: WESTERN THRACE IS OUR RED LINE
BBP (Great Unity Party) Deputy Chairman Ekrem Alfatlı, who started his speech by conveying the special greetings of Grand Union Party Chairman Mustafa Destici to the Western Thraceans living in Bursa, said, “Western Thrace Turks are our red line for our Martyr Chief Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, our Chairman Mustafa Destici and all BBP cadres. . We will continue to be with you in your just cause, as we have been up to now. On this occasion, in the presence of our President, my dear brother Ali Eminlatif, I once again greet the Turkishness of Western Thrace".
VILDAN SERDAR MET WITH ITS READERS
Within the scope of the fair-specific activities of the women's branches, Vildan Serdar, one of the rare writers raised in Western Thrace, and her readers met and longed for it. Explaining that she is happy to be face to face with her readers, Serdar thanked the BTTDD Bursa Branch Members of the Board of Directors for the organization that took place.
THE BELT STRUGGLE OF THE PEHLIVANS
The struggle of wrestlers coming from different regions of Turkey and Balkan countries and wrestling in various sizes was breathtaking. At the end of the wrestling, Ali Rıza Kaya won the wrestling title, while Yalçın Öncül became the second in the wrestling title and Ali Güngör Ekin and Mecit Yıldırım became the third in the wrestling.
In Başaltı Wrestling, Mert Caloğlu took the first place, while Okan Yavaş took the second place and Bayram Doğan and Adem Ustaoğlu took the third place.
As a result of the wrestling, Big Medium Champion İsmail Can, Small Medium Size Champion Berk Avcı, Deste Small Size Champion Onur Keskin, Tozkoparan Champion İsa Çetin, Encouragement 1st Boy Champion Yunus Emre Bedirsoy and Junior 1 Champion Yahya Dehman became.
NEW AGHA MEHMET GULERYUZ
21st Western Thracians Fair and 15th International Balkan Oil Wrestling Championship Agha auction was held before the wrestling. As a result of a fierce auction, the owner of the 21st Western Thrace Fair and the 15th International Balkan Oil Wrestling Championship, originally from Komotini Basırlıköy, became the owner of Güleryüz Accessories, Mehmet Güleryüz.
