88 Quotes by Turkish authors

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.

See the complete list of authors from Turkey

"Sovereignty is not given, it is taken"

Kemal Ataturk, Soldier

"An expert is someone who tells you why you can't do something"

Alec Issigonis, Designer

"A nation devoid of art and artists cannot have a full existence"

Kemal Ataturk, Soldier

"The public don't know what they want; it's my job to tell them"

Alec Issigonis, Designer

"A camel is a horse designed by committee"

Alec Issigonis, Designer

"It is much easier to drive without having an accident"

Alec Issigonis, Designer

"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"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association are important principles that are essential for the functioning of a democratic society"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"A heart makes a good home for the friend"

Yunus Emre, Poet

Small: Yunus Emre

"Justice is the infrastructure of proprietorship"

Kemal Ataturk, Soldier

"A nation which makes the final sacrifice for life and freedom does not get beaten"

Kemal Ataturk, Soldier

"I feel very, very proud that so many people have copied me"

Alec Issigonis, Designer

"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"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"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"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"In a world of increasing complexity and uncertainty, we need to strengthen our institutions and build a more resilient and responsive society"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"We must invest in education, research and innovation to unleash the potential of our young people and build a brighter future for all"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"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"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"We need to embrace diversity, respect different cultures and beliefs, and work together to build a more peaceful and prosperous world"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"Democracy is not just about elections, but also about the protection of human rights, the rule of law, and the separation of powers"

Abdullah Gul, President

Small: Abdullah Gul

"Thought is an errand boy, fear a mine of worries"

Yunus Emre, Poet

Small: Yunus Emre

"If I told you about a land of love, friend, would you follow me and come?"

Yunus Emre, Poet

Small: Yunus Emre

"Unless we abandon elements which resemble a police state, we can't meet the demands of being a modern society"

Ahmet Necdet Sezner, President

Small: Ahmet Necdet Sezner

"The Muslim world is deeply hurt by the campaign of violence initiated against our Palestinian brothers"

Ahmet Necdet Sezner, President

Small: Ahmet Necdet Sezner

"'Freedom of belief and worship is the most important guarantee of social peace"

Ahmet Necdet Sezner, President

Small: Ahmet Necdet Sezner

"There's been quite a clear upswing in nationalist sentiments. Everyone is talking about it, in Turkey as well"

Orhan Pamuk, Novelist

"My hero wants to belong too, but he doesn't want to give up all the things he came to value in the west"

Orhan Pamuk, Novelist

"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"

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President

Small: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"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"

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President

Small: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"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"

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President

Small: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"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"

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President

Small: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"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"

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President

Small: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"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"

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President

Small: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"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"

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President

Small: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"In other words, the bar should be maintained at the level of a pluralistic and participatory democracy"

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President

Small: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"We have in the last two years, we have passed 350 legislation in the parliament, most of which deal with democratization, human rights, and of course, economy"

Bulent Ecevit, Politician

"So we are fulfilling our task in preventing serious armament stocks in Iraq within our possibilities"

Bulent Ecevit, Politician

"But if too many countries, as has been the case, interfere too much in the internal affairs, the political situation of Afghanistan, then of course we can't hope satisfactory results"

Bulent Ecevit, Politician

"But if we leave them alone, just satisfying ourselves with social work, economic work and the building up of a national army, it can make progress, hopefully within a short time"

Bulent Ecevit, Politician

"Ataturk sent several Turkish staff officers to Afghanistan, helped them build their own army"

Bulent Ecevit, Politician

"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"

Ahmet Necdet Sezner, President

Small: Ahmet Necdet Sezner

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