Presidency's Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun said, "As a nation that has defended justice and peace all over the world throughout history, we firmly stand by the Palestinians and support their just cause."
Presidency's Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun visited the exhibition "Preserved for One Hundred Years: Letters from Prisoners of War by Turkish Red Crescent Society," organised by the Directorate of Communications at Galataport Post Office.
Speaking at the exhibition, Director of Communications Altun said that the exhibition was first opened last November with the participation of Emine Erdoğan, wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and recalled that they had opened the exhibition at The Nation's Library and the exhibition was so well received that they opened it in Istanbul this year as well.
Director of Communications Altun stated that while organising the exhibition, they aimed to raise awareness about the inhumane conditions of war and captivity and to keep alive the memories of the prisoners who paid a great price for the homeland, adding, "The letters and documents featured in our exhibition essentially record the extensive devastation caused by the war, encompassing not only the front lines but also behind the front lines. Because without understanding the tragedy and the true story that war leaves behind, it is not possible to comprehend the scale of its devastation."
Director of Communication Altun said that their aim was to remember and honour their ancestors and highlight the true hardships they endured to leave them a homeland, noting, "Because a tree grows on through its roots and a person grows on through his ancestors."
Stating that the 25 thousand letters written by World War I prisoners of war tell the story of hopes, aspirations and hard struggles that sprouted in the darkness of war and captivity, Altun continued:
"This exhibition includes prisoner letters, postcards and records, as well as newspapers published by captured soldiers. All these letters and newspapers were written by prisoners scattered all over the world, from Egypt to India, from labour camps in France to Siberia. Starting in front of the Post Office, we see that every detail of the exhibition has been meticulously planned, from the Words installation to the Bird installation symbolising freedom, from the Manifesto to sections such as the Mirror Room and the Mourning Room. There, visitors are shown exactly how difficult it is to be in captivity. Each one of these letters also echoes the emotions, sentiments, and longings of the Turkish soldiers who selflessly gave up their lives, liberties, and loved ones in service to their homeland."
Underscoring that every letter is a testament left to us, Director of Communications Altun said, "This legacy imposes on us the responsibility to take care of every inch of the homeland that our ancestors protected at the cost of their lives and freedoms. At the same time, it says that we must work hard for the sake of the homeland on every front and in every position."
"Palestine is an integral part of our history"
Director of Communications Altun added, "Today, we are members of a great state, a great country that is developing in every field from technology to economy, foreign policy to education, sports to culture and arts. If we have achieved this, we owe it to the self-sacrificing endeavours of our ancestors."
Pointing out that one of the fronts where our ancestors made great sacrifices was the Palestine Front, Altun said:
"We also dedicated a special space in our exhibition to the letters and images of our soldiers captured on this front. What these pictures and visuals tell us is that Palestine is an essential and integral part of our history. As a nation that has defended justice and peace all over the world throughout history, Palestine is a part of us today, and we firmly stand by the Palestinians and support their just cause. We, therefore, strongly oppose the Israeli attacks and genocide in Gaza with brutality unparalleled in history. The invaders who attempted to occupy our lands yesterday are today defending the occupation of Palestine. They support the slaughter of babies, children, women, and doctors; the bombing of hospitals, schools, and aid organisations; and the starvation and dehydration of two million people, as well as the denial of their access to medication. "It is our duty, imposed on us by our faith and history, to stand by the oppressed against Israel, an invading and occupying power. Therefore, Türkiye is a party in the struggle between right and wrong today as it was yesterday; it is on the side of the righteous and the oppressed and against the oppressors."
Stating that he found the exhibition invaluable in terms of demonstrating where they stand in the struggle between right and wrong, Director of Communications Altun thanked the Turkish Red Crescent for preserving 25 thousand letters belonging to prisoners of war for 100 years and TRT for their contribution.
Altun said, "I commemorate with gratitude and appreciation our beloved martyrs and veterans who gifted us a homeland nurtured with their blood. We pray for the freedom of Palestine in this blessed month of Ramadan."
Altun then toured the exhibition with TRT Director General Zahid Sobacı and Turkish Red Crescent President Fatma Meriç Yılmaz. Director of Communications Altun, TRT Director General Sobacı and Turkish Red Crescent President Yılmaz were presented with a painting of letters belonging to the prisoners of war.
Preserved for One Hundred Years: Letters from Prisoners of War by Turkish Red Crescent Society
The exhibition, which was opened to visitors at Galataport Post Office by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, focuses on the life of captivity through the letters of soldiers and civilians who were captured in World War I.
In the exhibition, letters selected among the 25 thousand letters carefully preserved in the Turkish Red Crescent Archive are presented to visitors, accompanied by photographs and installations.
The exhibition tells the story of hardships, and hopes and aspirations that sprouted in the darkness of war and captivity.
With a special section dedicated to photographs, letters, prisoner cards and the belongings of soldiers who fought and were captured on the Palestine Front, the exhibition draws attention to the sad rhymes of human history.
The exhibition includes letters belonging to the prisoners of war, photographs from prison camps, daily life and letters, photographs of prisoner record books, prisoner cards and Red Crescent investigation documents, installations, digital experience spaces (documentary, photo and video displays), and a mourning room (personal belongings of soldiers and prisoners of war).
"Preserved for One Hundred Years: Letters from Prisoners of War by Turkish Red Crescent Society Exhibition" will be open to visitors for one month at Istanbul Galataport Post Office.
