22th Anniversary of establishment of D-8 which is founded by Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan was celebrated at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul.
General Chairman of the Felicity (Saadet) Party Program Temel Karamollaoğlu, Turkey 11th President Abdullah Gul, ESAM Chairman Recai Kutan, Ziyaettin Tokar, Lutfi Esengün, Teoman Riza Guney, Ahmet Cemil Tunc, Felicity Party Vice Presidents İlyas Tongüç, Hasan Bitmez, Mesut Dogan, Birol Aydin, Mustafa Kaya, Yilmaz Bayat, Editor-in-Chief of the Milli Gazete editor-in-chief Mustafa Kurdaş, Felicity Party MPs Abdulkadir Karaduman, Cihangir Islam, Felicity Party Women's Branch President Ebru Asiltürk, Felicity Party Istanbul Province President Abdullah Sevim, A New World Businessmen's Association (YENİAD) President Selman Esmerer and a large number of national and local press journalists attended to the program.
The opening speech of the program was made by Temel Karamollaoğlu.
Karamollaoğlu reminded that D-8 was brought to life at Çırağan Palace, where this meeting was held 22 years ago. "Today we have come together to remember and remind this important event and historical signature. We cannot pass without mentioning Erbakan who made great efforts in the establishment of D8. D-8 was put into operation as a result of his great efforts and struggle with difficulties. The D8 was founded in a period as short as 8 months when there was no relationship between the founding countries. Such a foreign policy is, of course, the result of a great faith and an unshakable will. I know the duty of remembrance and mercy. The countries that established the D-8 did not show the necessary dignity, so they could not show their influence in the world they are in. Of course, in the intervening period, there were good intentions. The preferential trade agreement signed in Indonesia was an important step. It should not be forgotten that economic power brings with it political power. The European Union, which is a political power today, has gained its power from economic associations in the past. At this point, the D-8s adopted the six articles adopted 22 years ago, 'War, not peace, not conflict, dialogue, not double standards, justice, not superiority, equality, not exploitation, fair sharing, oppression and oppression, not real democracy and human rights in the meaning 'once again need to remind.."
On the one hand, the US and European countries, on the other, Russia and China, have become dominant in determining world politics. Two basic principles in determining their policies are the interests and the power that will establish it. Under the circumstances, Gaza is still under siege, and the Palestinian cause is almost darkened by the fallacy of the Treaty of the Century. Iraq, Syria, Libya, Arakan, Yemen and Afghanistan are in a state of misery. Islamophobia is growing rapidly in Europe and the United States In New Zealand, 50 Muslims were massacred during prayer. This photo shows the status of the Islamic world. The solution to overcome this crisis is very clear. Our deceased poet Mehmed Akif says; ‘We must take inspiration directly from the Qur'an and make Islam understand the century.’ The greatest inspiration we receive from the Qur'an today and the most important concept that we will call the century is the Islamic Union. It is the gathering of Muslims..
President of Economic and Social Research Center (ESAM) Recai Kutan, who took the floor after Karamollaoğlu, touched upon the meaning and importance of D-8 in his speech. An 22 years ago, on June 15, 1997, all the world's interest was in Istanbul. Representatives of 8 Islamic countries declared the Istanbul Declaration to the whole world. When the Welfare-Road Government was established in 1996, our Prime Minister Erbakan made visits to Eastern and Far Eastern countries. I was accompanying Erbakan Hodja on these trips. Erbakan Hodja, the D-8 project opened to the leaders of Muslim countries and received positive answers. Following these interviews the founder of D-8 countries, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh was determined. The D-8 was originally adopted as a core community of Islamic countries with a population of over 60 million. In time, other Islamic countries could become members of this community. This organization was announced to the world 22 years ago with the Istanbul Declaration in this place. D-8 is the greatest gift of the 20th century to the 21st century. Erbakan is the name of a fair world founded by the great efforts of Hodja. Such an organization is of great importance not only for the D-8 member countries but also for the development of a new world and the development of all oppressed and exploited countries. Had the D-8 been prevented and implemented, Islamic countries would not have been occupied, hundreds of thousands of people would have lost their lives, Islamic lands would not have been exploited and pillaged. I would like to thank the executives of the Felicity Party for organizing this meaningful program.
Speaking in the last part of the program, the 11th President Abdullah Gül started his speech by thanking the Felicity Party.
Gül said, "I would like to thank Temel Karamollaoğlu, General Chairman of the Felicity Party, for inviting me to this program by phoning him personally. D-8's architect and political owner Erbakan Hodja also remember our mercy. Erbakan Hodja gave me the responsibility to establish such an international organization with great determination in the Welfare-Road Government. The D-8 was announced here at the Ciragan Hotel 22 years ago with diplomatic representatives from 8 countries. This organization was established with messages such as justice, dialogue and cooperation. These messages also represented universal human values. These are not hollow messages, but if we go to the core of these messages we see divine suggestions. These principles were put forward so that all humanity could live in peace and prosperity. Why was such an initiative needed? The world suffered great destruction, great pain. Most of humanity suffered great atrocities under authoritarian regimes. D-8 was set up so that these sufferings would not be re-established. Erbakan Hodja, D-8 project for the cooperation of countries with the majority of the Muslim population, so that humanity drowned in new crises, has implemented. I hope that this consciousness is gradually spreading.."
ERBAKAN'S IDEOLOGY LIGHTENING OUR WAY
D-8 Secretary General Dato Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, "I would like to thank the Felicity Party for its support for D-8. I would like to take this opportunity to commemorate the founder of D-8 Erbakan. He was not only a very important statesman, but also a respected, visionary leader throughout the world. His vision was not limited to positive borders, but spread to the ummah and humanity. Erbakan's ideology is enlightening our way."
D-8 Secretary-General Dato Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, "D-8 member states, I am honored to be here. I thank the Felicity Party for its support of the D-8. I would like to take this opportunity to commemorate the founder of D-8 Erbakan. He was not only a very important statesman, but also a respected, visionary leader throughout the world. His political approach was for the social and economic development of the people. His vision spread not only to positive limits, but also to the Islamic Ummah and humanity. I am very pleased to have the legacy he has established. We now deeply understand how valuable the vision is. We should celebrate Erbakan's vision. Today we realize His dreams. We are not content with honoring past achievements and we are developing ourselves in the light of our founding principles. For this purpose, we established D-8 International Islamic University in Hemedan. We established the aviation network. In addition to Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Karachi Airport joined the network. Pakistan has become a D-8 research center in agriculture. Our aim is to take concrete steps in D-8 member states. We continue to develop joint projects with regional, international organizations and NGOs. Erbakan's ideology illuminates our way. Together we will make this organization an organization that we will be honored.
Ibiami Aisha, a diplomat representing the government of Nigeria, said: "With the establishment of the D-8 22 years ago, multiple cooperation between our country and Nigeria has come into play. So we crossed the border with D-8. Today we all celebrate our courage. We are an organization advancing in line with its objectives. We support participation in decision-making processes. Today we need more peace dialogue than ever in the world. These were already the founding principles of the D-8. We, as the state of Nigeria, comply with these principles and want to reaffirm our determination for the future.."
Bakhtiyar Assdzadeh, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Istanbul said, "The main objective of the D-8, founded by Erbakan Hodja 22 years ago, is to strengthen the economic, political and military aspects of Islamic countries. The world faces the tyranny of the murderous American leaders and the regime that invaded Jerusalem. If any country fails to comply with their directives, it faces an embargo. Since its establishment in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been under an embargo by the US, and this embargo is increasing day by day. Keeping silent opens the way for these cruel thoughts to rise. If we consider the common politics of the D-8 member countries, we can stand against the American cruelty by cooperating more in this sensitive time. We should stand against the US with practices such as the national currency model. If we consolidate the spirit of the D-8 alliance, we will have fulfilled Erbakan's request."