“2016 Yusuf Khas Hajib Year”, organized cooperatively by TÜRKSOY, Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Kyrgyz Republic Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism and Kyrgyz Republic Embassy in Ankara and hosted by Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB), was held in Istanbul on February 19, 2016.
“Yusuf Khas Hajib Year Opening Ceremony”, which was announced in memory of Great Philosopher of Turkish World Yusuf Khas Hajib’s 1000th Birthday, took place in Zeytinburnu Municipality Kazlı Çeşme Cultural Center with the participation of Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism Altınbek Maksutov of Kyrgyz Republic, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Hüseyin Yayman of Republic of Turkey, İbragim Cunusov Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan in Ankara, President of TDBB and also Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality İbrahim Karaosmanoğlu, Deputy Presidents of TDBB-Mayor of Zeytinburnu Murat Aydın, Mayor of Şahinbey Mehmet Tahmazoğlu, Mayor of Selçuklu Uğur İbrahim Altay, Governor of Eskişehir Güngör Azim Tuna, Secretary General of TÜRKSOY Düsen Kaseinov, Secretary General of TDBB Fahri Solak, Kyrgyzstan Consul General in Istanbul Renat Tuleberdiev, Chairman of the board of Trustees of Ahmet Yesevi University Musa Yıldız and many other guests.
The program started with a minute of silence for the martyrs of recent terrorist attacks and singing of both countries’ national anthems, and continued with a short introductory movie about Yusuf Khas Hajib.
President of TDBB and also Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality İbrahim Karaosmanoğlu talked in the ceremony and said, “May1000th birthday of Great philosopher, astronomer, mathematics professor, geometrician, politician and man of letters of Turkish World Yusuf Khas Hajib blessed for us. Yusuf Khas Hajib had lived in the time of first Muslim Turkish State, Karahan State, and written the work Kutadgu Bilig, in other words, “the one which brings joy, the state of being state” as one of the best works in Turkish. On behalf of Union of Turkish World Municipalities, I am happy to give the start of 2016 Yusuf Khas Hajib Year activities, announced by TÜRKSOY, that take place in a region like Zeytinburnu, which is like a homeland for Turkish World.”
Later on, İbragim Cunusov Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan in Ankara took the floor and said, “Yusuf Khas Hajib is a great philosopher that was taken as sample by Turkish World. It is important for us to remember individuals like him for the next generations. “Kutadgu Bilig” by Hajib brings light not only to his period but also to the next generations. That’s why it is of capital importance to protect those kinds of works for enlightenment.”
Following the protocol speeches, and after Ordo-Sahna Music Group and Ak-Maral State Dance Group’s performances, the program ended with the presentation of the presents for the memory of the day.
19.02.2016
