Turkey’s Mardin city with seven thousand years of history sets out to become a world city
Turkey’s Mardin which has a history of over seven thousand years and hosts different cultures has set out to become a world city. Nearly 60 business people, artists, cultural ambassadors, mayors, diplomats and journalist from 10 countries got together to discuss Mardin, in all its aspects.
The city is located in the center of Mesopotamia and one of the most important stops of the historical Silk Road with its inns, baths and caravanserais. It is the third oldest settlement center in the world with a known history exceeding 7 thousand years.
The meeting was organized by International Partner Connection (IPC Bulgaria Ltd) and Kayra on the internet (via Zoom) and attended by approximately 60 people to include businessmen, artists, cultural ambassadors, mayors, diplomats and journalists from the UK, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Kosovo, Latvia and Turkey.
The meeting was one of the longest held over the internet during the Covid-19 era. Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem who delivered the opening speech of the meeting which lasted exactly 6.5 hours said, “I was born in Mardin with a history dating back 7,000 years. We grew up in an environment where different religions such as Muslim, Christian, Syriac, Jewish, Yakubi, Chaldean, Nasturi and Yazidi lived fraternally and different ethnic backgrounds such as Arab, Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian, Turkmen, Chechen and 7 different cultures were blended. We were brought up in a capital of civilizations that has been an example to the world, as citizens of the world, feeling tolerance, peace and brotherhood within us”. He also stated that they had organized said meeting to introduce Mardin, a world city, to the world.
Mr Abidin went on to share the following:
“My grandparents came to Mardin 600 years ago and we have been working for Mardin ever since. Mardin’s most important source of income is education and tourism.
We have built mosques, charity kitchens, roads and fountains for the people of Mardin by continuing the tradition of our grandfathers.
We business people have to invest and contribute to the city where we were born. We are grateful once again for all the valuable contributions made by our President to the construction of highways in Mardin, the renovation of the airport, the introduction of infrastructure services such as electricity and natural gas.
Our next goal is to introduce Mardin to the world. This organization, which we have realized today with the participation of 10 countries, is the first step we have taken on this path”.
