Children from Gaza gave peace messages to the whole world at the International Peace Bread Festival organized by Esenler Municipality for the 14th time this year. Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Askin Bak, Governor of Istanbul Davut Gul, Mayor of Esenler Municipality M. Tevfik Goksu and many citizens and children attended the program held with the slogan “We Bake Peace Bread Together with the Children of Gaza, the Honor Test of Humanity”.
Hosting the 14th International Peace Bread Festival for April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, Esenler Municipality hosted the children of war this year. 22 children from Gaza, who came to Turkiye after the Israeli attacks since October 7, gave peace messages to the whole world with the program organized in Esenler Dortyol Square. Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Askin Bak, Istanbul Governor Davut Gul, Esenler Mayor M. Tevfik Goksu, Esenler District Director of National Education Feyzullah Sert, AK Party Esenler District Chairman Emrullah Erkus, political party representatives, municipal council members, many citizens and children attended the program. The program started with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an and continued with a cinevision showing about the International Peace Bread Festival. The letter of Meryem from Gaza addressing the conscience of all humanity gave the participants emotional moments.
The world does not see children’s suffering
In his speech, Mayor of Esenler M. Tevfik Goksu said, “April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children’s Day is one of the most important holidays named after children in our country and for children in the world. The main feature of this holiday is children. We could not make our program only last year because of the earthquake. We have been making our program for 14 years. We hosted children from different parts of the world in Esenler. These children we hosted brought flour from their countries. They baked bread here. Then we wrote a letter with this bread and sent it to all the leaders of the world. We brought the children of the world together with the children in Esenler. ‘O global powers of the world! O sovereign powers of the world! Enough of sucking the blood of innocent people. Look, in the 21st century, a massacre and genocide is taking place in front of the eyes of humanity since October 7th. The murderous Zionist Israel is massacring Gaza and the children in Gaza. The world is silent, the world is speechless. The world does not see. The world does not see the wailing of the mothers. Because the wailing mothers are Muslims. Because the slaughtered children are Muslims. The blood of Muslims is very cheap for global imperialists.”
Gaza has nothing to eat
Goksu continued his words as follows:
“Today, on April 23rd, instead of inviting children from around the world, we hosted our children who have been living through the genocide since October 7th. Of course, we couldn’t expect them to bring flour, because there is no flour in Gaza. Because there is nothing to eat in Gaza. In Gaza, there are only bombs dropped by murderous Israel. There are only soldiers of murderous Israel in Gaza. We have just listened to Maryam’s letter together. 22 of our children are here today. We will write a letter to the world leaders by adding the bread of peace, the freedom that is in the soul of this land, the compassion and conscience that are in the soul of this land. Maybe they will understand. Maybe they will feel. Maybe they will be ashamed of their humanity. Maybe they will look in the mirror and maybe they will remember their humanity when they look in the mirror, and we will do our part.”
Shows conscience as well as vision
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul said, “We are witnessing history here. Esenler Municipality shows a vision among district municipalities. I congratulate and thank our Mayor Tevfik for hosting a worldwide organization. This year only children from Gaza were invited to the program. This shows conscience as well as vision. This will overcome the oppression of the oppressors. Just like Turkiye did in the past centuries. When our President said ‘The world is bigger than 5’ at the United Nations, he showed that the Bread of Peace will be enough for everyone.”
We have seen all evil
Salih Keshta from Gaza hoped for the war in his country to end as soon as possible and said, “We are very sad that there is a war, we want it to end. The festival was great. I liked it very much, we played games with my friends, we went on a ferry trip, we had a lot of fun, we memorized new songs.” Abdullah Alnunu from Gaza said, “We came to Turkiye 5 months ago. There are very bad things happening in Palestine, we were very scared. We saw hunger, thirst and all the evils. My cousins were martyred. Turkiye helped us, they got us out of there. We met new friends, we had fun. Thank you for preparing a festival for us.”
We stand by our brothers and sisters in Gaza
Mirac Comak, a Turkish student, noted that he loved his friends from Gaza and said, “We met our friends from Gaza, we had a great time. We went sightseeing, we went to the park, we prepared for the festival together. The Peace Bread Festival was a lot of fun. I feel very sad for the war they are going through, I want to say that we are always with our brothers and sisters from Gaza.”
Breads sent to world leaders
After the protocol speeches, Minister Bak, Governor Gul and Mayor Goksu put on aprons and prepared the dough for the Peace Bread together with children from Gaza. The bread mixed with the yeast of love and brotherhood of Turkiye was baked in the oven set up on the stage after saying “Bismillah”. The Peace Bread was taken out of the oven by Mayor Goksu and other protocol members and served to the children first. The bread slices were delivered to the PTT vehicle in the event area to be sent to world leaders.
They danced the dabke
Minister Bak and Mayor Goksu attended the opening of the Peace Wall with the image of Al-Aqsa Mosque painted by Gazan and Turkish students. At the end of the program, Turkish and Gazan children gave peace messages to the world with the “dabke” dance, which has become a symbol of resistance. The program ended with a folk dance performance by Turkish students.
