President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is speaking at the 75th Anniversary Meeting of the Society for the Dissemination of Knowledge at the Istanbul Congress Center. The highlights of Erdoğan's speech are as follows:
"Welcome all of you to this meeting organized for the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our Society for the Dissemination of Knowledge. At the very beginning of my words, I wish that the 75th anniversary of our society will be beneficial for you, our country, our nation and our youth.
I would like to wholeheartedly thank all my brothers who spread their shadow of spreading knowledge all over the world with full devotion, from dormitory services to foundation work, from educational support to guidance activities.
I find it useful to underline one point here. Even though it was founded in 1951, the history of the Science Dissemination Society is the history of Türkiye. The founding philosophy is Türkiye's struggle for existence. When we look at the history of Spreading Knowledge, we witness the traces of this consciousness, this great ideal.
Spreading Knowledge is the seal of Türkiye's independence and future cause in the field of education and civil society. The struggle of Spreading Knowledge is Türkiye's struggle for education and democracy. The Science Dissemination Society has fulfilled a very important mission in the process of reopening imam-hatip high schools.
The society pioneered the opening of Türkiye's first imam hatip school on October 17, 1951, 6 days after its establishment, and paved the way for the opening of more than 100 imam hatip schools in the ongoing process. In the following years, the society provided scholarship and accommodation services to spread the important need with the dormitories it built in different cities; It has enabled tens of thousands of young people to receive education.
The humble sapling that 68 faithful hearts planted in the ground with sincere intentions 75 years ago has today turned into a magnificent plane tree. Many young people grew up under the shadow of this plane tree. Many of our children studied under the shadow of this plane tree. Many of my brothers served their country, nation and humanity by walking on the path opened by the Knowledge Dissemination Movement.
Today, with its 192 branches, 153 dormitories and 122 education centers, the Science Dissemination Society continues to revive the young people who will shape the future of Türkiye. On the one hand, our Knowledge Dissemination Foundation, on the other hand, our Sebahattin Zaim University, our volunteers, philanthropists, and alumni associations serve the nation and the ummah with dedication and devotion to their homeland and state.
We will carry this flag, which has been carried from hand to hand like a sacred trust for generations, with glory and honor and hand it over to those after us. I believe in you. The sparkle in your eyes gives me this hope. That's why we will continue on this path without stopping, without giving up and getting tired.
As a state and a nation, we have a character that draws strength from our history. This 75-year history of Ilim Yayma, each page of which is shaped by struggle and dedication, is important. The important thing is what we want to leave as a legacy to tomorrow. Our greatest treasure is people. Raising people is a long-term endeavor that requires effort and patience. If we and our children are reaping the fruits of the seeds sown 75 years ago, the societies sown today will bear fruit in a quarter or half a century.
HOW WILL WE PROTECT OUR YOUTH?
In today's world where technology is rapidly changing and advancing, which areas will we focus on in the coming years? How will we protect the spirituality of our youth in the face of asymmetric threats? How will we contribute to the education of more students and help our young people discover their talents? How will we leave our mark on the era? How will we protect our national identity against global cultural impositions? The answers we give will shape the coming period.
TECHNO OLIGARKS WANT TO DIRECT THE FUTURE
None of us can predict where the world is drifting. The impact of technology is growing day by day. With artificial intelligence, there are radical changes in our lives. Techno oligarchs want to direct our future and shape it in line with their interests. The target audience of these techno oligarchs is our youth.
The incidents occurring in our schools have shown how poisonous seeds pose a threat. What we will do, how we will stand against this new generation of elites, and how we will protect our children is very, very important.
Our greatest assurance against the dominating mentality of techno oligarchs that commodify people, nature, sky and space will be the technofest youth. Of course, there will be the youth of Spreading Knowledge. The point is to move forward without losing our identity and to embrace the opportunities of the age.
