UDEF The awards of the “My Country Turkey” International Students Short Film Story Poetry Competition have found their owners.
The Information Technologies and Communication Authority hosted the award ceremony of the competition participated by students coming to study in our country from all over the world. The program was attended by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Chairman of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, UDEF President Mehmet Ali Bolat and officials, along with numerous students.
At the program, the award for the first place in the short film category was presented to Kasongo K Abdoulkarım by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan. Expressing that he was deeply moved by the film he watched, Minister Turhan said, “Emotions knotted in our throats. It’s hard to express emotions with words,” and added: “My country Turkey is not just 780,576 square kilometers of land. Turkey is the country of all the oppressed. Turkey is the country of all those who believe in the Truth. Turkey is a country with a leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who fights to deliver rights to their owners and to free those under oppression from tyranny. You may have pushed your imagination as if in a dream world in a short time to create this film just to win this award. Perhaps here, with this short film you mentioned, you turned thoughts and ideas into a message to convey to the people you want to reach our emotions in the shortest time, but life is very short. We love the created because of our belief in the Creator. Therefore, it doesn’t matter that you are not citizens of this country on paper. For us, human beings are important. But in today’s world, sometimes greed, ambition, and the desire to reign lead the powerful to crush the weak, exploiting their labor and resources.”
Minister Turhan: Do Not Forget That You Deserve the Best of Everything
Emphasizing his hope in the youth, Turhan advised the young people, “The picture in front of me shows that you will establish a new order and become managers who work to deliver rights to their rightful owners. You don’t have much time for this. Therefore, you need to be diligent, determined, seek to earn the pleasure of our Lord, be just, loyal, and sincere to His creations, and be patient and persevering when you don’t see these feelings in return. Your nafs inclines you to waste time, but there are billions for whom you are responsible and who await your help. Make the best use of these opportunities. When you return to your countries, aim to reach the highest positions. Do not forget that you deserve the best of everything. If you believe, you are right and deserve everything. But for that, you need to work, know, learn, and become knowledgeable. That’s not enough; you need to be scholars. In other words, you need to use what you know in beneficial areas. I wish you success for life.”
Deputy Minister Sayan: “My Country” Being Able to Say Is an Award for Us
In his speech at the opening of the program, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan stated that the guest students being able to say “My Country” for Turkey is the greatest award for them.
Providing information about the students studying in our country, Sayan said, “The number of international students studying in Turkey is 143 thousand according to official figures. We are very pleased to host you in our country. You bring blessings, joy, and love to our country. UDEF hosts these students with 63 associations. I myself have been a student abroad. As one of those who know the difficulties best, I thank UDEF and other institutions. I want to express my pleasure that you see Turkey as your own country through this competition.”
Chairman Karagözoğlu: It Is a Very Beautiful Picture That Different Cultures Can Meet on a Common Ground
BTK Chairman Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu also expressed his pleasure in hosting the students in Turkey. Pointing out that people speaking different languages and from different cultures meeting on a common ground creates a very beautiful picture, Karagözoğlu stated in his speech, “One of the most important steps in a country’s economic development is to be strong in the technology field, which has great importance in today’s world. First, be hardworking. But just working is not enough; what we produce must be domestic and national. Only then can we take bigger steps on the path of progress and lead the world. As you know, the fights once given for oil have been replaced by technological wars. Countries challenge each other through tiny chips. Technology is a concept that changes and transforms so quickly that only the very hardworking can catch it. We have full confidence in both our country and the young people we host in our schools on this matter.”
Works in the poetry and story categories were also awarded at the program.