Belçika Dışişleri Bakanlığı, Türk toplumunun 50 yıl önce gerçekleştirdiği işçi göçü anısına bir resepsiyon verdi. Dışişleri Bakanı Didier Reynders ve T.C: Brüksel Büyükelçisi Hakan Olcay'ın da katıldığı programa çok sayıda sivil toplum temsilcisi de iştirak etti.
Belçika Dışişleri Bakanlığı, Türk toplumunun 50 yıl önce gerçekleştirdiği işçi göçü anısına bir resepsiyon verdi. Dışişleri Bakanı Didier Reynders ve T.C: Brüksel Büyükelçisi Hakan Olcay'ın da katıldığı programa çok sayıda sivil toplum temsilcisi de iştirak etti.
Türk toplumunun Belçika’ya gerçekleştirdiği işçi göçünün 50’nci yılı münasebetiyle Belçika Dışişleri Bakanlığı bir resepsiyon verdi. Tarihi Egmont sarayında gerçekleşen programa başta Belçika Dışişleri Bakanı Didier Reynders ile birlikte Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Brüksel Büyükelçisi Hakan Olcay, Brüksel Başkonsolosu, Müsteşar Oya Yazar Turan, Barış Ulusoy, Anvers Başkonsolosu Kemalettin Eruygur ve kalabalık Sivil Toplum Kuruluş başkan ve temsilcileri katıldı.
Klasik müzik sanatçısı Aykut Durşen, Osama Abdulrasuk (Kanun), Hilde de Clerck (Darbuka) eşliğinde Reza Ranjazmay adlı İran Azeri sanatöısı Türk Sanat Müziğinden güzel bir Konser sundular.
Daha sonra Psikolog-Yazar Birsen Taşpınar, 'Göç ortamında unutulan öyküleri kadınların gözünden anlattığı kitabı 'Moeders van de stilte' (Sessizliğin Anneleri' adlı kitabından pasajlar ve şiirler okudu.
Konser sonrasında davetlilere yemek ikramı edildi.
Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Brüksel Büyükelçisi Mehmet Hakan Olcay'ın konuşma metnini İngilizce olarak sizlerle paylaşıyoruz.
SPEECH FOR THE DINNER ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE TURKISH IMMIGRATION TO BELGIUM
5 May 2014
Distinguished Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Honourable Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to be present among you this evening at the dinner organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Turkish immigration to Belgium.
Earlier in January, we have launched the activities dedicated to the 50th
symposium on Turkish migration with the participation of Turkish Prime Minister H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Brussels. Later in April, we had the pleasure of attending to the gala dinner organized by the 50th Anniversary Committee.
In the meantime, many activities have been organized by civil society, with valuable contributions from all segments of the Turkish and Belgian communities as well as politicians and official representatives.
Today, we are continuing our efforts to commemorate and appreciate the experiences of the past 50 years at this cultural night and dinner organized jointly with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Looking back to the past 50 years, we are proud to observe that the continuous efforts of the Turkish community to be present in all aspects of life in Belgium have not been in vain. Today, with a population exceeding 220.000 citizens, some of which are politicians, doctors, scholars, lawyers,
teachers, sportsmen and artists, the Turkish community is fully integrated into political, economic, cultural and social processes in Belgium. Once employed only as workers, today around 14.000 Turkish entrepreneurs constitute 28% of the Turkish immigrant population.
Turkish community has shown interest in active political life in Belgium by sending four representatives to Federal Parliament and six representatives to various regional and community parliaments in the last elections. More than 100 Turkish origin politicians have been elected to city councils all around Belgium in the municipal elections.
On this occasion I wish success to all who will participate in the upcoming elections on May the 25th On the other hand, integration is not only economic success or taking up a post; it is a long-term and multi-dimensional process. In other words, it is a partnership, in which the host and migrant cultures take time to understand each other.
In this journey, both migrants and non-migrants need to be committed to the process and respect one another. Indeed, without open-mindedness and tolerance of the Belgian society and support from the Belgian Government, it would have been impossible to attain the level of integration achieved today.
We should continue our efforts in this endeavour with a view to safeguarding the right of equal participation of all citizens without questioning their origins, thereby achieving a sense of belonging.
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Turkish Government is eager to continue its collaboration with the Belgian Government with the intention of building a society free of discrimination in which different communities live side by side for
generations to come.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, External Trade and European Affairs H.E. Mr. Reynders and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as to each and everyone who contributed to the realization of this evening’s activities.
I have no doubt that this understanding of living together will continue to contribute to the richness and diversity which gives additional strength and vigor to Belgium. Thank you.
www.belcikahaber.be
