President Erdogan rejects neighborhood pressure at an award ceremony
On January 24, 2022, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Culture and Arts Special Awards Ceremony. The ceremony has been held since 1979, and it provides an opportunity to express gratitude to institutions, organizations, and artists who have contributed to the culture and arts climate of Turkey. President Erdoğan emphasized that respecting art and artists is not only by words, but also by protecting their works, efforts, and legacies. He noted that a society is as strong as its accumulation in culture and art, and that culture and art are important pillars that keep a nation alive. The permanence of the gains in defense, economy, and other fields also depends on culture and art. President Erdoğan stated that supporting success without making any distinction between arts and artists is a priority for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In addition, he acknowledged that Turkey has a deep-rooted cultural experience of 1000 years, which is an important reason why the Turkish nation can survive despite economic and social depressions. President Erdoğan rejected the neighborhood pressure that has standardized Turkey’s rich cultural climate and emphasized that ideological approaches should not confine art to certain patterns or certain impositions. The ceremony honored various institutions, including the Kenan Yavuz Ethnography Museum, which received the 2022 Ministry of Culture and Tourism Special Award. The event welcomed numerous distinguished guests, including Vice President Fuat Oktay, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, and Deputy Ministers of Culture and Tourism Özgül Özkan Yavuz and Ahmet Misbah Demircan.
