The Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MÜSİAD) held the grand MÜSİAD Iftar together with more than 1,000 members. At the iftar, which 15 domestic and international Branches and Representative Offices attended by connecting online, President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı drew attention to MÜSİAD’s work on Gaza and to Türkiye’s position.

MÜSİAD held this year as well, at its Head Office, the iftar event it traditionally organizes every year with the participation of its members. At the iftar, attended by more than 1,000 members and, online, by 15 domestic and international Branches and Representative Offices, President Asmalı delivered the closing speech of the program.

Drawing attention to the blessing of the month of Ramadan and to the matter of sharing, President Asmalı expressed the joy of being together once again with the MÜSİAD family at the blessed Ramadan table. Asmalı said, “We believers must always renew our unity and togetherness through iftar programs and gatherings such as these. We must turn these gatherings where we come together into occasions of goodness. Because we all know very well that a believer is the brother of a believer, and we are obliged to relieve the difficulties of our brothers.”


“It is essential that Gaza be on our agenda at all times”

President Asmalı stated that the Goodness Ship to Gaza, realized with the donations of MÜSİAD Members in cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent, would be followed by others, and said that Gaza must be on the agenda at all times.

Asmalı continued as follows:

“A great genocide is taking place in Gaza. The people of Gaza, who are waging an unparalleled struggle, are suffering oppression on their own soil under the massacre of the Zionist Israeli regime. Once again I condemn this massacre that Israel recklessly continues before the eyes of the whole world. Nor will we ever forget the heedless who remain silent in the face of this atrocity, who close their eyes and turn their faces in different directions. In the face of these barbaric massacres by Israel, there is no way out other than for the Islamic World to act in unity and togetherness. That is why it is essential that public reaction does not come to an end and that, by keeping the issue constantly on the agenda, these reactions continue and increase.

 

As you know, we first organized an auction for Gaza and sent our aid to the region. We also launched our hot meal distribution aid for our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Most recently, on 7 March, together with the Red Crescent we launched the “Let there be a parcel from you too” campaign; this work of ours is still continuing.

Let us underline once more on this occasion: our stance on Palestine is clear and our determination will never change. For the security and freedom of our brothers and sisters, for the independence of Palestine and for the perpetrators of this genocide to be brought to justice, we will continue to struggle together with our government and our civil society organizations.”


“Türkiye continues on its path with confident steps”

During the closing speech at MÜSİAD’s traditional iftar program, he also conveyed his views on Türkiye’s targets and potential. Stating that Türkiye is both a military and a political assurance in its region, Asmalı continued as follows:

“The steps taken over the last twenty years are now bearing fruit, and from the defence industry to energy, from health to tourism, our country is making enormous strides. With its trained human resources, flexible production capacity and logistics capacity, Türkiye is on the eve of a period of great leap forward. If we are patient and determined, we will experience these historic strides all together and, step by step, with the vision of the Century of Türkiye, we will reach our targets one by one, God willing.

The world is going through a critical and historic period. There is no longer a bipolar world. Nor is there a unipolar world. Today, when there is a search for a new order in a multipolar world, Türkiye is coming to the fore as an order-building country. Of course, this has a price. Taking these steps despite terrorist organizations, regional actors and global powers is possible only with large and well-trained cadres, a sound economy and a strong political administration.

As the MÜSİAD family, we contribute to our country reaching these targets and increasing its commercial and economic capacity. That is why the cause and responsibility we shoulder is very great and vital.

As MÜSİAD, with patience, determination and sincerity, we will continue to stand by our state and our nation in this historic period.”


MÜSİAD Founding President Erol Yarar, President of the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce Şekib Avdagiç, MÜSİAD’s Former Presidents and members attended the traditional iftar program organized by MÜSİAD.