H.E. Dr. Serdar Çam, Deputy Minister
of Culture & Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye,

Ambassador, Sadiq M. Marafi,
Assistant Foreign Minister for Europe Affairs

H.E. Sheikh Sabah Fahd Al-Nasser
Al-Sabah, General Secretary of the Hunting and Equestrian Club of the State of
Kuwait

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Fellow citizens,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to welcome you all to the inauguration ceremony of
the Second Kuwait Turkish Village event.

It is a thrilling occasion for us as we are only a month away from
celebrating the 60th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. With a long
history of friendship and cooperation, and events like this one only serve to
strengthen those bonds.

During this two-week event, you will have the opportunity to
immerse yourself in the depth and breadth of Turkish culture and tradition. And
as we all know, our brothers and sisters in Kuwait love to discover Turkish
heritage.

Dear Guests;

As we gather here today, we are reminded of the strong cultural
ties that constitute the core of the brotherly relations between Türkiye and
Kuwait. Our countries share common values. Our customs are similar. Our
cuisines have remarkable overlaps. And most proudly, we are both part of the
same great Islamic civilization.

With so many commonalties, it should not come as a surprise that we
proudly describe our relationship with Kuwait as “excellent”. From trade to
defence, health and education, we are striving to move our collaboration even
further under the visionary leadership of H.E. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
and H.H. Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Dear guests,

We belong to a civilization that promotes compassion, peace, and
diversity. Our civilization has an inherited spirit of peaceful co-existence.

That is why we cannot remain silent in the face of a great tragedy
and persecution. That is why the immense suffering of our brothers and sisters
in Gaza hurts our souls so profoundly.

Relentless Israeli attacks since October 7 have turned Gaza into a
children’s graveyard. Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and
churches, have been damaged or destroyed in this barbaric offensive that has
caused the loss of more than 13,000 innocent lives.

With over 1.4 million individuals displaced, essential services
crippled, and basic necessities running out, the situation in Gaza is simply
unbearable.

Double standards in global response, blank checks given to Israeli
occupation, and the inability of international institutions in stopping the
violence underscores the importance of unity among Muslims.

In order for this crisis to end, the permanent occupation by Israel
and the subjugation of Palestinians in their very own land must stop right
away.

I take this occasion to wish Allah’s mercy on our Gazan brothers
and sisters who lost their lives in this brutal campaign.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am confident that this event will contribute greatly to our
cultural ties, and I look forward to seeing the many ways in which our two
countries will continue to work together in the years to come.

I would like to thank Kuwaiti authorities, including the Ministry
of Information, the Ministry of Interior, and the National Council for Culture,
Arts, and Literature for their support. I also extend my gratitude to the
Kuwaiti Hunting and Equestrian Club for their kind cooperation. And thank you
all for being with us on this very meaningful day.