TURKISH DAY PARADE CELEBRATED WITH BROADER PARTICIPATION

27th Traditional Turkish Day Parade and Festival organized by Federation of Turkish-American Foundations, was celebrated with the participation of huge crowd in an enthusiastic atmosphere.

State Minister Mustafa Said Yazıcıoğlu, AK Party Vice-Chairman Egemen Bagis, AK Party WHIP Nurettin Canikli, Washington Ambassador Nabi Şensoy and Chairman of Turkey-USA Interparliamentary Friendship Caucus and Antalya Deputy Mevlut Cavusoglu together with Caucus members Cuneyt Yuksel, Fatos Gurkan, Canan Candemir Celik, Nursuna Memecan, New York Counselor Mehmet Samsar and his wife, TRNC New York Representative Kemal Gökeri, UN Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan Askın Mehdiyev, Ankara Governor Kemal Önal, Giresun Governor Mustafa Taşkesen, district governors of Silivri and Kesan participated the parade. New York Brooklyn Mayor Marty Markowitz also among participants. Numbers of Turks walked in the streets of New York with red and white colored flags and dresses and Turkish Day Parade Festival was realized with a huge participation in which famous singers Safiye Soyman, Pinar Aylin, Ufuk Yildirim, Sinan Erkoc, Ceza, Popostar Alaturca Contest winner Ihsan Guvenc took the stage.

AK Party Vice Chairman Egemen Bagıs commented:

‘As a person who has had a contribution to this parade since the very beginning, I am proud of seeing that this cultural activity, which is held abroad, has become the most gorgeous one that youngers and olders, Easterns and Westerns are gathered as a distinct part of a same whole. Each one of us set forth our patriotic feelings.' Bagis continued:

‘It is actually the way to eliminate the barriers in front of Turkey. We, under the leadership of Prime Minister Erdogan, have tried to realize it for 6 years. We love everyone and we embrace them all. Democracy is an art of tolerating the others, and we have been learning it in Turkey. Having seen you here as such provides us with hope. You are our ears, eyes, voices here. As long as you are powerful here, we are powerful there in Turkey as well.'

Upon a question Bagis also reminded his 4 year- experience of presidency in TADF and said ‘Of course, this year we are more populated in the parade. The society has been developing and increasing. Everyone, particularly the President of TADF Boztepe worked a lot for the realization of this organization. It was a magnificient performance, I celebrate them all. Federation is in safe.'

Bagis declared that they came to the USA with a populated representative group owing to the order made by Prime Minister Erdoğan and supported the parade. He said ‘Participation of thousands of Turkish people is a very important message, especially in this critical period.'