First Lady Erdoğan Spoke at TÜRGEV GİF'27 Season Opening

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife, Emine Erdoğan, said, "Looking at you, I remember my youth. There were no GIFs in those days. But there were always people who came together in small circles and invited each other to goodness and multiplied the beauties. Şule sister was one of them. I still remember the day I met her. I carry her traces in many important decisions of my life, from the shaping of my identity to my marriage choice, and I remember her with blessings and gratitude today." he said.

Stating that TÜRGEV ​​is preparing for the new season with great excitement and meticulousness, Erdoğan stated that one of the things that young people, each of whom have a different gem, need most is a right environment where they can meet supportive companions where they can discover and develop their gems and role models who will guide them with their experiences.

Erdoğan thanked TÜRGEV ​​veterans who aimed to establish such an environment and supported young people on this path.

Noting that the "Leave a Trace" theme determined for GIF this year is extremely meaningful, Erdoğan said, "We all live in the traces left before us, we give meaning to life with those traces and leave new traces behind us. However, the digital age we live in has radically changed the way we read, interpret and carry the traces of life to the future. In no other period of history has humanity been exposed to such a huge flow of information, images and sounds at the same time. But the increase in access did not increase the understanding to the same extent." he said.

Erdoğan stated that in this flow where attention is constantly divided, it requires more and more attention and willpower to notice what is valuable, to choose the right traces and to focus on them, and said, "Algorithms often determine what will appear before us, which sound will be heard and which will remain invisible. This forces us to think not only about what we see, but also what we cannot see." he said.

Stating that the way of interpretation has also had its share of the same transformation, Erdoğan said, "We can reach the answer to a question within seconds, artificial intelligence compiles information for us, compiles text, suggests ideas. But reaching the answer is not the same as reaching the meaning. Meaning is not a ready-made result put in front of us, but arises from a depth established by human experience, judgment, labor and contemplation." he said.

Emphasizing that leaving a trace has gained a completely different nature in this age, First Lady Erdoğan continued as follows: "Every search we make in the online world, every content we share, every image and choice we leave are recorded as a 'digital footprint'. Perhaps no generation in the history of humanity has left so many records behind. However, recording does not mean leaving a trace. A record preserves a sign of our existence, while a real trace continues to produce meaning and impact and draw a direction after us." In this age, leaving a real mark requires more attention, will, effort and responsibility than ever before.

Dear young people, this issue is especially important for you. This world you were born into and grew up in is very different from the world we grew up in. Today you carry the accumulated knowledge of humanity in your pocket. Moreover, you are dealing with artificial intelligence that is ready to answer almost any question and accompanies you sometimes like a friend and sometimes like a mentor. Of course, it cannot be denied that all of these have positive aspects that make life easier and open up new opportunities for us. "However, sometimes such a dense crowd of sounds, images and ideas accumulates in digital media that a person may have difficulty hearing his own voice in this crowd."

Stating that the lives encountered on screens can sometimes seem perfect and complete, which can lead people to see their own stories as inadequate and to become alienated from their own lives over time, Erdoğan said, "One finds one's own voice by wondering, making an effort, daring, making mistakes and trying again, and holding someone else's hand. Now, looking at you, I remember my youth. There were no GIFs in those days. But there were always people who came together in small circles, invited each other to goodness, and multiplied the beauties. Şule sister." "He was one of them. I still remember the day I met him. I carry his traces in many important decisions of my life, from the shaping of my identity to my marriage choice, and I remember him with blessings and gratitude today." he said.

"MORE THAN 281 THOUSAND YOUNG GIRLS PASSED THROUGH THIS DOOR TO DATE"

Erdoğan stated that he knows from experience that no matter how much technology changes, the environment a person lives in and the people walking next to him can change the direction of his life, and therefore described GRF as a very meaningful initiative.

Noting that this is a field of opportunity where young people discover themselves, experience, produce, establish friendships and find their own voices, Erdoğan said: "We are fortunate that TÜRGEV has been establishing such a companionship with young people for 30 years. More than 281 thousand young girls have passed through this door to date. Some discovered their talents here, some established lifelong friendships, and some realized their own power for the first time. The valuable members of the GIF Orchestra, whom we will listen to shortly, also "They are one of the best witnesses of this and show us how different voices, different stories and different abilities create a strong harmony when they come together around the same effort."

Erdoğan stated that three new centers were added to the five Güzel İşler Factories in Ankara, Istanbul, Silopi and Konya this season, and said, "I hope that the Şule Yüksel Şenler, Hümeyra Ökten and Hatay Capsule centers that we will open today will be beneficial in advance." he said.

Referring to the centers that were opened, Erdoğan continued his words as follows: "It is also meaningful for me that a center bears the name Şule Yüksel Şenler. A name that once left a mark in my life, now gives its name to a door that will leave a mark in yours. Hopefully, in these new centers, many young people will discover their talents, many friendships will be established, many beautiful collaborations will emerge and many traces will be left. First of all, our founders, all the employees of our foundation, our trainers, our philanthropists and everyone who supports this great effort." "I offer my sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone who contributed to the program."

Addressing the young people, Erdoğan said, "It is my wish that each of you will read the valuable traces left to you correctly, understand the issues of his time properly, speak out with courage and leave beautiful, genuine and beneficial traces to the future." he said.

GIF'S 3 NEW CENTERS WERE OPENED WITH LIVE CONNECTION

In the program where GRF's new education approach, cultural and artistic works and young people's productions were introduced, the official openings of GRF Şule Yüksel Şenler in Ümraniye, GİF Hümeyra Ökten in Ankara and GRF Hatay Capsule centers on the Hatay Mustafa Kemal University campus were made with live connections.

While the number of GRF centers in five cities increased to 8 with the new centers, within the scope of the program, an exhibition featuring the works of young girls and experience areas introducing activities carried out in different disciplines were also opened to visitors.

It was learned that First Lady Erdoğan wore an outfit made of Ankara sof fabric, which she pioneered in its revival and was patented by the Ankara Governorship, in the program. In addition, it was learned that the brooch with a dragonfly figure that First Lady Erdoğan wore on her collar during the program was inspired by the "Leave Your Mark" theme of this year's GRF'27.

At the entrance of the concert at the GRF'27 Season Opening, GRF Music Choir Student Nehar Rüya Konuk, GRF Music Orchestra Vocalist Hümeyra Çifci and Turkish Language and Literature Teacher Sibel Siyambaş presented Erdoğan with a stained glass brooch with a dragonfly figure.

It was reported that the stained glass brooch, designed by GRF Vezneciler Bircan Hayta and featuring a dragonfly figure, was dedicated to the deep and meaningful traces left by First Lady Erdoğan in the lives of young girls.

Gülden Gül, wife of Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, TÜRGEV ​​Board Member and NUN Education and Culture Foundation Chairman Dr. Esra Albayrak, Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) Chairman of the Board of Trustees Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, some MPs, ministry representatives, artist Hülya Koçyiğit, actress Yıldız Çağrı Atiksoy and artists, journalists and businesswomen attended. The program ended after the concert.