President Erdoğan: The government that stands tall against the terrorist state of Israel is our government.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the TÜGVA Summer Schools Finals program organized by the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA) at Beşiktaş TÜPRAŞ Stadium. Speaking there, Erdoğan said, "The government that stands tall against the terrorist state of Israel is our government. I especially want you and your families to know this. We have never abandoned our brothers and sisters in Gaza, not even for a moment. We have stood by our brothers and sisters with over 101,000 Turkish Lira humanitarian aid packages. By completely halting trade with Israel, we have stood with the Palestinian people. We have stood with Gaza through our diplomatic contacts and international efforts. And we have always stood with the oppressed people of Gaza with countless support and aid, too numerous to list here. Despite those who slander the Palestinian resistance as 'terrorism' to take orders from Israel, we have never turned our backs on the heroes of Gaza."

This year, 400,000 students participated in the Summer Schools, traditionally organized annually by TÜGVA, which offer a wide-ranging curriculum ranging from sports activities to Quran and Hadith lessons, from fun activities to educational activities. The final program featured performances by world-renowned artist Maher Zain, beloved artists Eşref Ziya and Ömer Karaoğlu, and children's favorite Rafadan Tayfa and social media influencer Aydın Musa Güven. Giant puppet parades, drone shows, drone races, and light shows were also presented to the audience.

President Erdoğan said, "Esteemed members of the Turkish Youth Foundation, my dear young brothers and sisters, I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings and affection. In your person, I greet all the young people of Türkiye with respect. I send my special greetings and love to each and every one of my young brothers and sisters with hopeful hearts in all of our 81 provinces. I am delighted to share your excitement at the Turkish Youth Foundation Summer Schools Final. I especially want to emphasize the pride I feel in being with you, my young brothers and sisters, whose eyes shine with hope, love, and faith. I thank all the members of the Turkish Youth Foundation for bringing us together at such a wonderful event in Istanbul. I extend my gratitude to each and every brother who contributed to this meaningful event, where we met with our children with good hearts, open minds, and high enthusiasm. Dear young people, in the summer schools attended by a total of 400 thousand students in our 81 provinces, our young people spent six weeks full of time. While they were embracing our national and spiritual values, they also challenged themselves in different sports branches. They developed; they competed; they had fun; they learned; they formed new and strong friendships. Many of our children made precious memories at this summer school that they will remember with a smile for the rest of their lives. I congratulate all the teachers who guide our students and, with their expertise, chart new horizons for our young brothers and sisters. I kiss the eyes of each of our children who will shape the future of Türkiye, along with you, our children here. I also send my respects to all the mothers and fathers who raise conscious young people like you, whose hearts beat for Turkey and who carry Gaza in their hearts."

"WE WILL NOT ABANDON OUR YOUTH TO THE MERCY OF MARGINALS"

President Erdoğan said, "Our Turkish Youth Foundation has been providing invaluable services for 11 years, with educational, cultural, artistic, and sports activities. It reaches millions of young people through programs such as foundation schools, Enderun schools, nature camps, and debate competitions. In all matters concerning the Islamic world, it exhibits a conscientious, honorable, and compassionate stance befitting our nation. We are proud of our foundation's successful work in many areas. Of course, we also know very well that it is these services that disturb those who use every opportunity to attack the Turkish flag. They do not want young people who throw stones at the police or plunder the property of shopkeepers; they do not want young people who love their homeland, nation, and ummah to emerge. But I have bad news for them today: We will continue to harass them for many years to come. We will not abandon our young people to the mercy of the marginalized. We will embrace each of our young people with sincerity and hold them close with love. Today, once again, we declare that our civilizational values I thank each and every one of my brothers and sisters, each and every director and volunteer of the Turkish Youth Foundation, who have dedicated their lives to raising new generations. May God Almighty not waste our efforts and grant them success. May He, God willing, herald victory in this expedition of yours. My dear young brothers and sisters, see how the late Nurettin Topçu described you, the pioneers of the Turkish Century, 64 years ago: "The founders of tomorrow's Turkey will be united by the personalities of various peoples. They will unite with Yunus and Yavuz. They will reach out to Sinan and Akif. They will congratulate Abu Hanifa and Hüseyin. Tomorrow's Turkey, their work, will be built on these foundations: blood flowing from the soil of Anatolia, labor spent on society, a thousand years of history, a strong state, and a spirit convinced of its immortality." Yes, the youth described by the late Nurettin Topçu with these words is here. Sultan "The youth who brought Alp Arslan and Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror; Saladin and Yavuz Sultan Selim; and Abdulhamid Khan together with the insightful youth of today is here. The youth who brought together the Malazgirt raids with the defense of Gallipoli; the War of Independence with the epic of July 15th is here. The youth who know their roots, recognize their past, and carry the past into the future is here. The youth who carry hope from Jerusalem to Crimea, from Gaza to every corner of our heartland is here. In his words, the youth who pursue the cause of their religion, language, mind, knowledge, honor, home, identity, and measure is here," he said.

'YOUNG PEOPLE, THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO WANT TO TURN YOU OFF YOUR PATH'

President Erdoğan said, "The young people here, standing tall, with a stance that inspires confidence in our friends, God willing. Here, Türkiye has hope, a future, and a bright future. Here, there are young hearts that have cultivated the hopes of Türkiye, especially the Middle East, the Balkans, North Africa, and the Caucasus. Here, there is the TEKNOFEST youth, who have trampled themselves and overflowed like a roaring flood. I am proud of this youth. I feel with all my heart the happiness of entrusting Türkiye to this youth, God willing. Dear young people, you opened your eyes to the world under the AK Party government. You are growing up under the leadership of cadres who love their country and nation. Look, your parents lived through truly painful and difficult days. We waged a determined struggle against bans, oppression, and injustice. We ensured equal opportunities, and one by one, we eliminated the dress code bans and the oppression of the headscarf. We consigned the dirty mentality of February 28th to the dustbin of history, never to return. Also, We have implemented numerous regulations to pave the way for you, especially equality of opportunity in education. We have equipped all 81 of our provinces with educational institutions, libraries, dormitories, youth and sports facilities, and science centers. Of course, we still have a long way to go. There are many more investments and services we can bring to our country. What does the poet say: “Do not worry, my hero; time is on our side. Today, the sacrifice is on our side, the last stop, the last divine decree is on our side. Even if the world is our enemy, faith is on our side. A thousand fervent prayers remain to open the doors. Look to the horizon, my hero; revolution is just around the corner. Yes, our Turkey is very close to rising. We are very close to attaining the great and powerful Türkiye our nation longs for. Believe that the winds of peace will blow through our geography, which is struggling with oppression, crisis, and conflict. With God's permission, we will deliver to you a Türkiye free of terror, where peace, security, prosperity, and brotherhood reign supreme in every square meter. We will continue to serve you until our last breath. Dear young people, as one of your elders, I would like to chat with you today and share some matters sincerely. First of all, I ask you to always keep this in mind: You are not only the children of your parents, but also of this nation. Therefore, you will always stand on the side of good, right, and justice. You will grow your knowledge, character, and compassion together. You will read a lot, learn a lot, and teach a lot. The hearts of those who look to you will be filled with hope. Young people, there will be those who will try to turn you away from your path. They will try to crush your hopes, your enthusiasm, and your enthusiasm. As in the recent LGS debate, they will slander you and slander you. But you will never pay any heed to this. You will not bow to tyranny. You will never dampen your spirits. You will give them the best response with your success. You will respond with the honorary plaques you will hang on your horizons. You will respond with the honors you will achieve in Türkiye and around the world. Remember; "No one in this country can treat you like a stepchild. With your education, your horizons, your character, and the goals you set for yourself, you will be an example to those who come after you. Everything has a place, a time, a condition, and, above all, a destiny determined by our Lord. Therefore, what we cannot achieve today due to different circumstances, God willing, you will achieve tomorrow. This is the kind of youth I see before me. I pray that God will not let you stand in the way of any stone."

"OUR GOVERNMENT IS THE GOVERNMENT THAT STANDS STANDING AGAINST THE TERRORIST STATE OF ISRAEL"

President Erdoğan said, "Dear young people, I believe that each of you is closely following the events in Gaza. Our Palestinian brothers and sisters are struggling with hunger, thirst, and lack of medicine in a region where the Zionist murder network has destroyed 90% of the population. Every day, we receive news of the martyrdom of innocent bodies, children, and women, their bellies pressed against their backs. Innocents in Gaza are becoming targets of treacherous bullets while fainting in aid queues in large areas called 'food distribution centers.' Mothers and fathers walk for kilometers among the rubble. They risk their lives to reach a sack of flour, a sip of water. Scenes far worse than those we can only witness in concentration camps are happening in Gaza right now, before the eyes of the so-called civilized world. I state this once again clearly today: The most brutal genocide is taking place in Gaza. In Gaza, not only children, not only babies; everything that stands in the name of humanity is being destroyed one by one with the blood of the oppressed. Dear Young people, Turkey has been the country that has reacted most strongly to the brutality in Gaza from day one. The government that fearlessly defends the rights of the oppressed in Gaza is the Government of the Republic of Turkey. The government that stands tall against the terrorist state of Israel is our government. I want you and your families to know this: We have never abandoned our brothers and sisters in Gaza, not even for a moment. We have stood by our brothers and sisters with our humanitarian aid package exceeding 101,000 Turkish Lira. By completely halting trade with Israel, we have stood by the Palestinian people. We have stood by Gaza with our diplomatic contacts and international efforts. And with countless other forms of support and aid too numerous to list here, we have always stood by the oppressed people of Gaza. Despite those who slander the Palestinian resistance as 'terrorism' to receive orders from Israel, we have never turned our backs on the heroes of Gaza. We have been threatened and subjected to numerous operations, both covert and overt. But we have never given up defending Palestine and the Palestinian cause.

"WE WILL BE THERE WITH THE HONOR OF STANDING UPRIGHT AGAINST THE OPPRESSORS"

Speaking about Palestine, Erdoğan said, "Dear young people, my valued brothers and sisters, now you see that some people are trying to question our unwavering support for the Palestinian cause. To those who target us, I simply say this: Questioning our sensitivity towards Palestine? Weren't you the ones who, just until recently, called those defending their own lands 'terrorists'? You say 'We stand with the oppressed.' If that's the case, then where were you in Syria for 14 years? Why did you remain silent while a million people were being massacred and our Syrian brothers and sisters were being oppressed and tortured? Why didn't you speak out when bombs were raining down on Aleppo, Dera'a, and Hama? Why didn't you speak out? While Karabakh was struggling for liberation with the support of our country, weren't you the ones who were in line with the occupiers' theses? When we brought aid to Libya, they asked, 'What are we doing in Libya?' Weren't you the one who said this? With all due respect, you can't fool anyone. Because you've never stood with the oppressed. Because you've never looked at the Middle East through a lens of brotherhood. You haven't understood what it means to be an Ummah (Muslim Ummah). You've never felt this feeling in your heart. Now you're criticizing us without looking at your own dark record. You're targeting our cabinet, our ministers. But no matter what you do, you won't be able to eradicate the love for Turks, the love for Tayyip Erdoğan, in the hearts of us, the Palestinian people. Even if you deny it, history is ours. Our upright stance is being met here with the difficult struggles Türkiye has waged. That red door of freedom will definitely open. Our brothers and sisters in Gaza will live eternally freely in their own homeland, in those blessed lands watered with the blood of our martyrs. God willing, we will be there too. We will be there with the peace of mind of fulfilling our brotherly duty. We will be there with the pride of crying out in difficult times. We will be there with the honor of standing tall against the oppressors. "We will be there with honor. We will embrace our brothers and sisters in Gaza with love and, God willing, we will all stand shoulder to shoulder in prayers of gratitude. Just as in Syria, God willing, we will witness together that the oppression in Gaza has ended. These beautiful days will surely come, God willing," he said.

DHA

Reporter: News Center