The promotion and signature ceremony of the book named “My Life As A Turkish Jew” which is also published in English by Bahçeşehir University in order to gather the foreign booklovers with the book was held in Bahçeşehir University. Enver Yücel, the President of Bahçeşehir University Board of Trustees gave a speech in the ceremony and made the following statements; “I hereby congratulate Bensiyon Pinto for sharing his memories without applying any censor which has been a meaningful material in terms of telling the Sephardic Jews living in Turkish lands for more than 500 years to a larger society and announce the cultural diversity of Turkey to the world. We are a university located in Istanbul city, which unites Asia and Europe, acts as a bridge between East and West. For centuries several cultures left their traces in this city which had been the capital of three great Emperorships. As a university in the heart of this historical synthesis, I believe that we are under great liability. “
“WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE THE CULTURE OF LIVING TOGETHER”
Enver Yücel stated that as the leader of a university in our age which are one of the manipulators of culture and religion conflicts, we need to motivate the youth, and support the projects which direct th future and encourages the culture of living together in order to leave them a future which lacks racism, anti-Semitism, Islam phobia, and said that “We must remember that nowadays universities have become global cities. And they pose the best example for the fact that diversity means richness. So in our path we departed with such a mission in our minds, as Bahçeşehir University we have completed several meaningful projects in order to let cultures understand each other. We produced the TV series named “The River Flowing Westward” which mentions about the birth of cultures, and the relationship of cultures all around the world which was broadcasted in TRT in Turkey, and in many other leading channels all around the world. Last year we also initiated the Bahçeşehir University Chorus of Civilizations which performs the music from many different cultures.
Enver Yücel also stated that they supported the movie “Turkish Passport” which tells the story of the Turkish diplomats who chose not to remain in silence regardless of religion, language and race in one of the most embarrassing eras of human history, and their efforts to save the Jews living in Europe and added that “In recent years with the support of UNEXCO we also organized a conference which tells that how the Jews running from the tortures of Nazis in 1933 and settled in Turkey improved the Turkish Higher Education.”
Enver Yücel emphasized that as educational institutions, he believes the importance of objective and well told common history of cultures are essential in order to leave a more peaceful world to the youth, and not to repeat past mistakes such as holocaust and similar things. Enver Yücel; “I feel a great happiness as the book named “Bu Akşam Anlatmasam Olmazdı” was shared with the whole world. “
Bensiyon Pinto appeared on the stage after Enver Yücel, the president of Bahçeşehir University Board of Trustees completed his speech and thanked to Bahçeşehir University and all who contributed in the translation phase of the book into English, and signed the books the incomes of which shall be transferred to the SosyalBen (SocialMe) established by the students of Bahçeşehir University.
TR
