Legendary Turkish poet commemorated at awards

By Cigdem Alyanak, Sena Guler

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a literary award ceremony Friday in Istanbul in memory of Turkish poet and philosopher Necip Fazil Kisakurek.

Necip Fazil was a poet, novelist and activist who contributed to Islamic thought in Turkey. He died in 1983.

Speaking at the Necip Fazil Kisakurek Awards for Literature and Research, Erdogan said it was not easy to win an award that carries the name of Necip Fazil.

Erdogan congratulated Prof. Dr. Teoman Durali who was awarded the Prestige Award, Ahmet Murat who was awarded in the poetry category, Necip Tosun in the story-novel category, Ahmet Ozalp in the opinion-research category, Betul Nurata and Emre Ergen in first work of art category, and Bosnian Cemalettin Latic in the international award category.

Erdogan praised Kisakurek and said he had devoted his life to the “great Turkey” ideal.

He said his government had been working to realize the revolution which Necip Fazil waited for his whole life.

“If we are exposed to constant attacks from inside and outside today, if we are dealing with defamation… the reason is that we do not give up on our fight.”