The 1st International Symposium on the Formation of Turkish Cypriot Political Leadership and Its Social Impacts began on Tuesday.
The two-day symposium organized by the Necati Özkan Foundation and sponsored by the International Final University, the National Archives, and the Cyprus-Balkans-Eurasia Turkish Literature Society got is taking place at the International Final University.
During the opening speeches, the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at the International Final University Prof. Dr. Şule Aker, the President of the Cyprus-Balkans-Eurasia Turkish Literature Society İsmail Bozkurt, the Director of the National Archives and Research Office Ejdan Sadrazam and the President of the Necati Özkan Foundation Necati Ahmet Özkan all emphasized the significant leadership role of Mehmet Necati Özkan.
In their speeches, it was highlighted that Mehmet Necati Özkan was a staunch advocate of Atatürkism, a progressive, generous, entrepreneurial leader who attached great importance to education.
President Ersin Tatar expressed his respect for the leadership and struggle waged by the late Mehmet Necati Özkan, stating that he had displayed courageous leadership in advocating for the rights of Turkish Cypriots during the British colonial period.
Tatar also noted that thanks to the leadership of Mehmet Necati Özkan, Turkish Cypriots were the first Turks outside of Türkiye to adopt the modern Turkish alphabet.