The Presidency's Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, cited the broadcasting policy of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) as an illustration of how the media landscape can be harnessed to spread virtue during his address at the "TRT World Citizen Awards" event.
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that the TRT World Citizen initiative, which was initially launched to institutionalise virtue, is highly valuable in an era in which evil has become increasingly commonplace.
Explaining how "the banality of evil," originally formulated in Nazi Germany to characterise the war crimes of that era, has evolved into a concept that elucidates the present day, Head of Communications Altun noted:
"It is now employed to describe the atrocities committed by Israel in Palestine, the genocide policy it has expanded, and the silence of the entire world and numerous Western governments worldwide. Even while the genocide in Palestine is currently taking place in the world public eye and agitating the collective conscience of humanity, it is an evil that has become banal and normalised in the eyes of the international system. Upon contemplation of the international system's institutions, it is evident that a multitude of bureaucrats and politicians have forfeited their ability to think clearly in the face of this genocide, which threatens all of humanity. We are speaking of an international system in which the sense of accountability has gone extinct and in which the chain of command has normalised evil. The political system has truly incorporated this evil. The United Nations Security Council's structural framework serves as compelling evidence of this. Global injustice, colonial practices that sustain it, ongoing genocides, human rights violations, as well as environmental destruction, and damage to nature are among the evils we face in today's world. Perhaps the banalisation and normalisation of these evils should be as troubling and disturbing as the evils themselves. We must combat the banalisation of evil as well as the evil itself."
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that numerous teachings saw history as a dichotomy of good vs. evil, claiming that in Islamic teachings, this parallels the struggle between truth and falsehood.
Head of Communications Altun then went on to note:
"In essence, the Islamic teaching perceives history as a struggle between truth and falsehood and offers hope, saying, 'The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished.' This is also heralded, and when viewed from this perspective, the concepts of good and evil are the most genuine and authentic concepts of the present day, despite the various attempts to obscure them. The central aspect of the global political scene of today is this eternal conflict between good and evil. We are discussing a reality that remains embedded in our lives despite efforts to keep it out of sight, obscure it, and render it invisible through an array of facades. Without question, the global media order—more specifically, the Western hegemonic media order—is the primary mechanism that drives the banalisation of evil and performs the masking I have described."
"Media is an area that should struggle for virtue, justice, and truth"
Head of Communications noted that this media order generates a systematic evil that results in a crisis of truth, suggesting that this is an area that should struggle for virtue, justice, and truth.
Emphasising the importance of struggling to make the media scene a space for genuine information rather than manipulated information, Head of Communications Altun said,
"In addition, we should struggle to ensure that media representations are more just." We should speak up for those who are silenced. We should reveal what has been obscured and serve justice. In this pursuit, we should wage a struggle for truth. Similarly, we should work to stop the media from spreading evil and instead use it to spread good. We should use it as a means of spreading good examples. TRT's broadcasting policy, in my opinion, falls along this line. First and foremost, as I have previously indicated, I believe TRT struggles to make the media space a place for undistorted, authentic information. I believe they are also making efforts to promote more just representations in the media. Furthermore, I see the TRT's efforts and broadcasting policy as a real example of how the media can be used as a vessel to spread goodness. For the past six years, the TRT World awards have been held within this context and with this approach."
Head of Communications Altun noted that the initiative is intended to draw attention to the Israeli persecution and genocide, Islamophobia in Palestine and Gaza, previous human rights violations in Syria, and strengthening of education, adding that an attempt was made to raise global awareness towards these ends.
Head of Communications Altun said, "Five brave individuals who fearlessly stand up to injustice, inequality and oppression around the globe are being awarded today. There is also the TRT special award."
"Our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's leadership has been decisive"
Head of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is waging a struggle for justice and truth in the global arena while the whole of humanity is watching, saying,
"It takes real courage and resilience to wage this struggle and take the right stance on behalf of humanity. Our President's leadership exemplifies this spirit of bravery and tenacity. Türkiye has overcome significant obstacles in this regard all throughout his 23 years in office, and as a result, it has been a respected regional power and a major global actor on the world political stage. Today, Türkiye's stance and initiative have an impact on the resolution of numerous global issues as well as the processes in many regions of crisis. When it comes to the Russian-Ukrainian War, Palestine, Israel's oppressive practices, the Syrian crisis, Libya, and the war between Ethiopia and Somalia, Türkiye, led by our President, is demonstrating genuine initiative in resolving the issues. In this regard, Türkiye is no longer a nation that isolates itself and lacks the capacity to handle the atrocities that result from international injustices, much less address them.
Türkiye is a stabilising power that not only strengthens its own integrity and front but also exports stability to the region and the global arena upon ensuring its own. In this respect, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's leadership has been truly decisive."
Underscoring that they act on the idea of "letting people live so that the state lives" throughout this process, Head of Communications Altun stated, "Sheikh Edebali has a very useful statement that has been passed down from generation to generation: 'People are the cure for each other.' With this perspective, we need to pay attention to what is occurring around us and be active members of the society where we live."
Head of Communication Altun stated that he sees this event as a concrete manifestation of the inspiration and courage that humans provide to one another, saying, "In this sense, I see it as telling the stories of true heroes and providing opportunities for them, and I would like to thank all my colleagues who have contributed to this valuable event. I would like to thank all the executives who turned this valuable idea into a project. I believe that we should act based on the awareness that virtue is a true ideal that can be passed down from generation to generation and is an effective element in the solution of these atrocities faced by humanity, and I hope that this valuable initiative will remain for many years to come and serve this purpose."
Head of Communications Altun's message
Head of Communications Altun shared a post following the program, stating, "It was a great pleasure to be present at the TRT World Citizen Awards ceremony today. I extend my congratulations to the distinguished award recipients and extend my gratitude to all those who contributed to the organisation of and participated in the event.”
