Erdoğan presents culture, arts awards

ANKARA

Turkey will promote culture and arts with renewed fervor, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said at the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry’s 2018 Special Awards Ceremony.

“If a society lacks aesthetic taste, that society’s desired success in other areas is not quite possible. If a society lacks in arts and literature, it is not possible to sustain and create shared values,” Erdoğan said on Jan. 10.

“The common characteristic of archaic civilizations and major states is that both created significant values in the arts and culture industries,” he added.

Erdoğan also stressed the importance of the state’s role in the development of culture and arts industries.

Supporting quality production in culture and arts industries and sharing such works globally is the state’s duty, according to Erdoğan.

“The power of culture and art on impacting people has become so significant in an era where the speed of communication is dazzling,” he added.

Erdoğan also stressed the importance of architectural works for a society and its identity.

“If a country does not have a sophisticated understanding of architecture, the superior structure of that country is not expected to reflect a unique identity,” he said.

“The way to pass the material and nonmaterial accumulation to the next generations is through the works of arts, culture and architecture. Our architectural works are not just about woods and stones, they are more than that,” the president added.

Erdoğan also said he lamented that Turkey could not go a long way in the area of culture and arts in the past 16 years.

The president said he views culture and art as an “important matter of survival” exactly like the fight against terrorism and foreign policy.

“I regard the cultural and artistic issues as important a matter of survival as the fight against terror, as the foreign policy and basic areas of service. In the new era, we will address our shortcomings and elevate culture, arts, architecture and urbanization to their rightful place,” Erdoğan said.

“For nations, the successes that cannot be achieved via diplomacy, military and economic power, can be earned through music, literature and cinematographic work,” Erdoğan said.

“Our unique cultural and artistic wealth and treasures lie behind the unity, solidarity and friendliness on our lands. We need the inclusive power and influence of culture and arts in order to protect and carry to the future our existence,” Erdoğan added.