Palestine Day Celebrated at Bilkent
On Thursday, October 22, Bilkent hosted a visit by Her Excellency Minister of Culture Ms. Siham Albargouty and His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Nabil Maarouf, both of the Palestinian Authority, in celebration of Palestinian Day. 2010 is the third year that the Palestinian Authority has celebrated Palestinian Day in Turkey. Bilkent Provost Metin Heper and Professor İlker Aytürk of the Political Science Department joined the guests on stage.
Following introductions by Provost Heper, Prof. Aytürk gave a brief history of the history of the "natural bridge" between Europe and Africa [modern Gaza] that the Hebrew bible records as being peopled by the Philistines (Filistina) and referred to as Palestina by Ancient Greek historian Herodotus. According to Prof. Aytürk, Palestine has for centuries been a crossroads subject to many conquerors which "has left the area rich in cultural traditions." Prof. Aytürk acquainted the audience with some aspects of modern Palestine, contested area being fought over "by two nationalist movements who want the same land," Israel and Palestinian Authority/Hamas. Because the Cold War "froze" tensions between Israel and the Palestinian people, the fall of the Soviet Union gave opportunities for both peace and conflict. In 1993, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) accepted that Israel had a right to exist and Israel accepted a gradual plan for Palestinian statehood.Beneath the rhetoric, Prof. Aytürk says there are two intractable problems that stand in the way of peace, the question of Palestinian refugees and the status of the Temple Mount, holy to all three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Ambassador Maarouf spoke next on Palestinian-Turkish relations and his aim to enhance "Palestinian cultural relations" with Turkey, a nation that shares "common history, culture, and traditions" with Palestine. Ambassador Maarouf announced Turkish-Palestinian relations to be excellent in the realms of politics, economics, and public opinion, especially in Turkey's aid for education in Palestine. Maarouf praised Turkey as the most important regional power in the Arab world and said that closer relations with its neighboring countries and Turkey's strong support of Palestine has brought Arab tourists, students, and "billions of dollars of investment" to Turkey.
Minister Albargouty spoke last and offered her comments on the Middle East peace process. Albargouty emphasized that Turkish culture "is a distinctive part of Palestinian culture and heritage" from the time Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire; she also stated that Palestine has absorbed Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures. Albargouty argued that the Palestinian Authority was committed to the United Nations resolution calling for a two-nation "solution to this complex situation."
A brief question and answer period followed the presentations, and refreshments were served afterwards.