President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with students, athletes and young people at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Feb. 26, urging them to defend national unity and play a leading role in Türkiye’s future.
"Young people... the new Türkiye, the great and strong Türkiye will rise on your shoulders. I believe that each of you will serve our heavenly homeland with love, excitement and passion. God willing, you will carry the flag you will inherit from us even higher," Erdoğan said during an iftar dinner program.
Erdoğan emphasized his long-standing engagement with young people.
"As the youth of Türkiye, you will build the future of this country in unity, love, brotherhood, affection and friendship," he said.
"In every challenging struggle we've undertaken, young people have always been by my side. Together, we've overcome countless obstacles, weathered numerous crises, repelled numerous attacks and turned many dreams into reality. From the economy to trade, from tourism to sports, from education to rights and freedoms, we have enabled Türkiye to experience its greatest leaps forward in its history, together with you."
Erdoğan pledged to continue working "with the same enthusiasm as the first day and until our last breath" for a country where young people can live safely.
"You, our young people, have a very important share in the defense of the homeland, as well as in Türkiye's development, its economic progress, and in making it a more prosperous and reputable country," he said.
"From drones to space studies, from artificial intelligence to major technology ventures, the sweat and toil of young engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs who grew up in this land are present in every achievement our country has made."
He also listed initiatives his administration has taken for youth, including the expansion of youth centers, the opening of more than 130 universities and a nearly fourfold increase in dormitory capacity.
"We first lowered the age of eligibility for election from 30 to 25, and then to 18 to ensure that our young friends are represented in politics and in the decision-making mechanisms that shape the country's destiny in the way they deserve," Erdoğan said.
"The total number of sports facilities has increased from 1,575 to 4,562 today. With the results we have achieved in the Olympics, we have reached the highest number of medals in our history," he said, noting that female participation in national teams has grown to over 45 percent.
