YTB Celebrated its 16th Anniversary with the Vision of “Fortifying Personality, Building the Future”

YTB celebrated its 16th founding anniversary with a comprehensive event held at the Anatolia and Rumelia Culture Halls within the Presidency. While a holistic evaluation of the past year's activities was presented during the program, YTB’s future strategies were also shared with the public.

YTB President Abdulhadi Turus began his speech by reminding the audience of the institution’s founding purpose and detailed how the achievements, projects, and field experience gained over the 16-year period have strengthened the institutional vision. Turus emphasized that YTB was established with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision of “Building the Türkiye of Tomorrow,” and that the primary motivation of the institution is the goal of reaching every citizen and kin whose heart beats with the crescent and star.

Stating that the age of 16 marks a symbolic period, Turus expressed that this age is both a time for accounting and a threshold where decisions for the future become clear. In this context, he drew attention to the beginning of a new era in which YTB will combine its accumulated experience with youthful excitement and dynamism by directing it through the right steps.

Continuing his speech by saying, “My dear colleagues, distinguished guests, we have gathered today to celebrate the 16th anniversary of our YTB, to view the activities we have carried out over the past year holistically, and to collectively give meaning to the historical threshold we are passing through,” Turus stressed that YTB has reached its current position under the leadership of our President and through the intensive efforts of the institution's staff.

Touching upon the fragility of the global system and the crises being experienced, Turus stated that the system established after World War II, which was taught as “absolute,” is now cracking. Turus expressed that the pandemic process, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the genocide taking place in Gaza after October 7 have exposed global injustice and the interest-oriented order.

In the continuation of his speech, Turus drew attention to the massacres in Gaza, emphasizing the inaction of the international community, and said:

“What has happened in Gaza after October 7 is a dark period where rules are completely ignored. The genocide in Gaza has gone down in history as a dark era where the West personally placed dynamite under all its humanitarian claims and where rules were completely disregarded. Gaza after October 7 is a milestone even for hearts that possess a bit of conscience.” At the same time, he reminded that the global system ignores the Muslim, whom it sees as the “other,” and their right to life, while treating death merely as a statistical phenomenon.

Concluding his speech by thanking all the staff who contributed, Turus stated, “Our greatest strength on this journey is your sincerity, effort, and faith,” noting that YTB will look to the future with confidence.

The program ended with a group photo session.