Deputy Minister of National Education Celile Eren Ökten, Pakistan's Ambassador to Ankara Yousaf Junaid, ministry officials, students, and invitees attended the Jinnah Young Writers Award Ceremony held at the Head Teachers' Meeting Hall of the Ministry of National Education.

 

Speaking at the ceremony, Ökten wished God's mercy to those who lost their lives in the explosion at the ammunition factory in Balıkesir and offered her condolences to their families.

 

Pointing out that the 'Jinnah Young Writers Essay Competition' was held for the 7th time this year, Ökten said that through the works presented by the students, they developed not only their writing skills but also their critical thinking, research abilities, and understanding of intercultural dialogue.

 

Stating that the students are the future representatives of the friendship between the two countries, Ökten said, 'Every word you write contributes to further strengthening these deep-rooted bonds of friendship. This kind of work will make important contributions to helping you grow as more conscious individuals in a global world.'

 

Ökten, emphasizing that Türkiye and Pakistan have unique cultural and historical characteristics, said: "Türkiye is in an important and strategic position where the West meets the East, the past meets the future, and different beliefs and traditions converge. Pakistan, on the other hand, is a country with a rich historical and cultural heritage and a profound spiritual legacy. Pakistan always holds a special place in our hearts due to its sincere friendship, which strengthens the bonds of brotherhood between us. These two countries have been founded on the principles of brotherhood and solidarity, and they have developed strong ties through years of friendship and cooperation. I hope that, like Jinnah and Atatürk, we too can produce values that inspire the world."

 

Pakistan's Ambassador to Ankara, Junaid, also expressed his deepest condolences for those who lost their lives in the explosion at the ammunition factory in Balıkesir.

 

Thanking the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) for their support of the competition, Junaid continued his speech as follows: "This competition takes its name from Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and we view Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the same way the Turkish people view Mustafa Kemal Atatürk; we regard him with the same respect. Therefore, both nations share very similar histories. We were also deeply inspired by the Turkish War of Independence, which is why we believe that Türkiye and Pakistan are brotherly countries."

 

Junaid emphasized that the phrase "two states, one nation" perfectly defines Türkiye-Pakistan relations, stating, "Even though there are kilometers between us, our hearts are together. That's why we always refer to each other as 'brotherly countries' instead of 'friendly countries.'" Highlighting that the two countries share a common history dating back centuries, Junaid also stressed that the two nations have always supported each other in matters of humanitarian aid.

 

Junaid, pointing out that the students participating in the competition had the opportunity to understand and convey the values between the two countries, stated, "This competition not only allowed the exploration and expression of the natural beauties of both countries but also provided an opportunity to showcase the strengths and powerful qualities of the two nations."

 

After the speeches, Ökten and Junaid presented the awards to the students who placed in the competition.