Xanthi Culture-Art Festival completed with great enthusiasm
The last of the "Xanthi Culture and Art Festivals" organized by the Xanthi Turkish Union (ITB) was held in Xanthi center with great enthusiasm.
The event was held on Saturday, July 2, on the sports complex of Xanthi Minority Secondary and High School. Many compatriots attended the event organized by the Xanthi Turkish Union.
The event in Xanthi was served by İTB Deputy Chairman Sevil Şerifoğlu and member of the Audit Board Hüsniye Arabacıoğlu.
In the event, the year-end exhibitions of the Central Sewing, Embroidery and Handicrafts Courses and the ITB Central Painting Course took place. In addition to the exhibitions, ITB Yumurcaklar Club also put on a year-end show.
Guests attending the event were welcomed by Xanthi Turkish Union President Ozan Ahmetoğlu and other members.
Türkiye's Consul General to Komotini Murat Ömeroğlu, Xanthi Deputy Mufti Ahmet Hraloğlu, Xanthi KINAL Deputy Burhan Baran, President of Western Thrace Minority Association Hüseyin Baltacı, FEP Party Deputy Chairman Bahri Belço, Western Thrace Turkish Teachers Union Vice President Hasan Bosniak, Minority Schools Councilors Union Chairman Ahmet Kara, Xanthi Minority Secondary School and High School Director Selçuk Fehmi, Former Mayor of Mustafçova Cemil Kabza, school teachers and many guests attended.
Heads of institutions and organizations cut the opening ribbon of the exhibitions together. Afterwards, the exhibitions were visited and information was obtained from the course teachers about the handcrafted works.
ITB President Ozan Ahmetoğlu made the opening speech of the "Culture - Art Festival"
Ahmetoğlu thanked all the participants in his speech and congratulated those who contributed to the organization.
Ahmetoğlu emphasized that ITB courses not only provide women with manual dexterity, but also keep the Turkish culture in Western Thrace alive, fulfill the duty of cultural transfer, reflect the cultural beauty and refinement through such activities and pass it on to future generations.
ITB President Ozan Ahmetoğlu thanked other minority institutions for the support they gave to the activities of the Xanthi Turkish Union and said, “As institutions and organizations, we are strong when we are all together. We are strong and successful when we support each other. On this occasion, we would like to thank the Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye, Murat Ömeroğlu, who always supports us by participating in the activities of the Xanthi Turkish Union, and his valuable wife, in the presence of our kinsmen." he said.
Hüseyin Baltacı, President of the Western Thrace Minority Graduates Association, congratulated everyone who contributed to the preparation of the event and emphasized the importance of the Xanthi Turkish Union activities in the field of culture.
Reminding that they played football with the neighborhood children years ago in the area where the event was held, Baltacı said, “We played our first football matches here. We scored our first goals here. But thankfully we didn't score an own goal.
We were not among those who scored an own goal in the social sense. I would like to express clearly that we will always support such activities that prioritize peace, social development, culture, art, music and traditions.” said.
In his speech, Xanthi Deputy Burhan Baran expressed his satisfaction for participating in such a beautiful and meaningful event.
Indicating that culture and art have a great importance in the life of society, Deputy Baran said, “Everyone who participates in these activities of the Xanthi Turkish Union actually does occupational therapy.
In other words, in addition to cultural work, they also carry out an important activity in this way personally.
Therefore, it is a very important work both personally and socially. I once again congratulate and thank everyone who contributed."
In his speech, Deputy Mufti of Xanthi Ahmet Hraloğlu conveyed the greetings and wishes of success of the Mufti of Xanthi Ahmet Mete. He emphasized that Xanthi Mufti and Xanthi Turkish Union are like two winged birds, one being active in the religious field and the other in the national and cultural field. Ahmet Hraloğlu, who stated that they supported all three events as the Mufti, congratulated those who contributed.
Murat Ömeroğlu, Consul General of Türkiye in Komotini, also expressed his pleasure to attend such an extremely important and beautiful event.
Congratulating the course teachers and students, Consul General Ömeroğlu said, “I especially want to congratulate the parents of our students.
I would like to congratulate you for raising children who put their signature under such a beautiful event and for keeping these working groups alive.”
After the speeches, the performance of Xanthi Turkish Union Music groups started.
In addition, the performances of the junior, senior and adult folk dance teams working under the umbrella of the Xanthi Turkish Union were highly appreciated by the audience. Xanthi Turkish Union Turkish Classical Music Choir also gave a concert to the audience at the event.
At the event, all students who attended the courses of the Xanthi Turkish Union were given a certificate of participation.
Certificates of appreciation were presented to all course teachers. In addition, Lütfiye Nihatoğlu, who has been teaching in Xanthi Turkish Union Sewing - Embroidery and Handicrafts Courses for 31 years, was presented with a plaque by ITB President Ozan Ahmetoğlu.
