A new Syriac Orthodox Church to be built in Istanbul will be a “new wealth” for the city, Turkey’s president said on Saturday.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a groundbreaking ceremony of the Syriac Orthodox Mor Efrem Church in Istanbul.
Speaking at the ceremony, Erdogan said construction of the church would be completed in two years.
“Our doors remain open to everyone who seek refuge in our land regardless of their cultures, regardless of their ethnicities and regardless of their faiths…”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganpic.twitter.com/2hkPPi6X3J
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“Like all their other issues, meeting the worshipping needs of the Assyrian community, the ancient people of our geography is the duty of the state of the Republic of Turkey,” Erdogan said.
“We are a nation which has been ruling over this region for almost a millennium, and Istanbul for 566 years. Throughout this long history, our region has always been the heart of religious, ethnic and cultural diversity, most importantly of the conscience of humanity,” he added.
“Although suffering in our region over the last 150 years have caused many troubles and much destruction, we have never allowed even the slightest weakness in our will to coexist. To us, anyone who has affection and loyalty for Turkey and contributes to [the country] is a first-class citizen,” Erdogan underlined.
He added that Turkey was currently hosting nearly four million Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmens as well as Muslims, Assyrians, Ezidis and other groups from Syria and Iraq.
From Spain to North Africa, Turkey’s gates and hearts have been open to all oppressed, said Erdogan, stressing: “There was and never will be room for discrimination in our minds and hearts.
“The real target of terror groups and their allies is our common homeland and the best way to disappoint them is to see our differences as our most important wealth,” Erdogan said.
TRT World’s Omer Kablan has this report.
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