Turkish tradition: Providing haven to the persecuted
Last updated: Thursday, January 08, 2015 11:50 PM
Turkish tradition: Providing haven to the persecuted
“I would surrender my crown and surrender my throne but I would never surrender those seeking asylum in my state,’’ said Ottoman emperor Sultan Abdul Mejid, who ruled between 1839 to 1861.
This statement was a part of a photographic exhibition in Ottawa, called Safe Harbour Turkey, Restoring Hope, which told the story of Turkey extending asylum, through the ages, to millions facing persecution. The exhibition included Professor Albert Einstein’s letter in September 1933 to Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk requesting asylum for 40 Jewish professors and doctors from Germany after the Nazis enacted a law forcibly retiring officials who were not Aryan. Ataturk agreed, and granted asylum to many more.
More:Turkish tradition: Providing haven to the persecuted | Opinion | Saudi Gazette
