Turkish sayings carry hüzün and hope in the same breath, folding tenderness and irony into everyday speech. Their voices come from tea-glass clinks in crowded kitchens, from the saz’s tremble, from ferry decks watching the Bosphorus darken. Themes of sabır, kısmet, loyalty, and hospitality shape a moral weather: gentle yet unsparing, witty yet devout. Sufi echoes meet streetwise humor, village earth meets city fog, and love, stubborn, patient, learns to dance with fate.
"The greatest strength of democracy is its ability to adapt and evolve, to respond to changing circumstances and to meet the needs and aspirations of the people"
"As leaders, we have a responsibility to listen to the voices of the people, address their concerns and work together to build a better future for all"
"Turkey is a bridge between Europe and Asia, and we have a unique opportunity to bring people together, build bridges of understanding and promote mutual respect"
"Science and technology have transformed the world we live in, and we must ensure that we use them to serve humanity and make our world a better place"
"Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association are important principles that are essential for the functioning of a democratic society"
"What should be targeted is a concept of organic, and not just mechanic, democracy that preserves the rule of law, separation of powers, and that is participatory and pluralistic"
"Therefore, the question is not whether such democratization is possible, but instead how to meet the yearning of the masses in the Middle East for democracy; in other words, how to achieve democratization in the Middle East"
"The purpose cannot be creating self-styled democracies, but rather encouraging steps that are conducive to establishing democratic rule at universal standards. Obviously, this would be a formidable journey"
"Similarly, it is argued that the culture of Islam is incompatible with democracy. Basically, this conventional perspective of the Middle East thus contends that democracy in that region is neither possible nor even desirable"
"I should like to repeat what I stated recently in the Jeddah Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia: It won't be the religion, but rather the world-view of some of its followers that shall be made current"
"My visit to the United States has also given me the opportunity to emphasize the objective of establishing close and intensive links between the Turkish and American peoples, scholars and businessmen"
"In this context, social consensus, and institutions that embody this consensus, must be made effective in order for democratization not to be abused as a provisional instrument to establish an anti-democratic regime"
"We shouldn't waste any more time in making sure that democracy is properly rooted in our political life and the supremacy of the law becomes an integral part of our state's structure"
"Similarly, gender-equality, supremacy of law, political participation, civil society, and transparency are among the indispensable elements that are the imperatives of democratization"
"According to this view, democracy is a product of western culture, and it cannot be applied to the Middle East which has a different cultural, religious, sociological and historical background"
