"Xanthi Turkish Union Women Meetings" continued in Kırköy
The 'Women's Meetings' organised by the Women's Section of the ITB and the courses of the ITB took place this week at the Xanthi Turkish Union Kırköy Sewing, Embroidery and Handicrafts Course.
The opening speech of the event was made by the course instructor Nermin İlyasoğlu. Nermin İlyasoğlu thanked everyone who participated in the event and expressed her pleasure to host them. Then Zeynur Bargan, Spokesperson of the Western Thrace Turkish Women's Platform and Chairperson of the ITB Women's Section, took the floor and expressed her pleasure to meet with the women from Kırköy in a joint event and expressed her belief that these events organised together with the Courses of the Turkish Union of Xanthi will be very useful for women.
Sevil Şerifoğlu, Vice President of Xanthi Turkish Union, attended the event in Kırköy as a speaker. Şerifoğlu made a presentation under the title "Turkish Folk Culture in Western Thrace". In her speech, Şerifoğlu gave information about the 'Women's Meetings' series of events and said: "As Xanthi Turkish Union, we aim to keep alive the Turkish culture in Western Thrace as well as to contribute to our women, whom we consider as the cornerstone of the society, in different fields.
Sevil Şerifoğlu, who made a presentation titled "Turkish Folk Culture in Western Thrace", gave information about folk culture and its importance in her speech. Expressing that there is a rich accumulation of folk culture in Western Thrace, Şerifoğlu gave examples in this field. Emphasising that ITB courses are also an extremely important tool in keeping the folk culture alive and transferring it to future generations, Şerifoğlu noted that folk culture is one of the main veins that nourish identity.
Emphasising that we should protect our culture and values, Şerifoğlu said, "If we lose our culture, we lose our language and religion. In short, we lose our identity, disappear and melt away. For this reason, let us protect our cultural values that make us who we are and pass them on to future generations so that we can continue to live with our identity as Muslim Turks in Western Thrace for centuries. I would like to add here that as Xanthi Turkish Union we are starting a new project with our Handicraft courses. This study will record all our local motifs in our old handicrafts, laces, rugs and embroidery in Xanthi plain, balkan, yaka and ortakol, that is, in the whole Xanthi region. With these motifs we have compiled, our course instructors and trainees will be able to produce modern products that can be used today. Let me announce this project of ours in advance. When we reach the stage of realising it, of course we will ask everyone to support it."
At the end of the event, instructor Nermin İlyasoğlu presented the guests with a needlepoint brooch they had prepared in the course. Afterwards, the food prepared by the trainees was served to the guests.
