A ceremony was held at the Rauf Raif Denktaş Turkish School in South London on Monday in memory of the leader of the Turkish Cypriot people’s Struggle for Freedom Dr Fazıl Küçük and the founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş.

The ceremony was organised jointly by the Rauf Raif Denktaş and Dr Fazıl Küçük Turkish schools.

A ceremony at the Turkish language school located in South London for the late Turkish Cypriot leader Dr Fazıl Küçük and Founding President Rauf Denktaş was held on Monday to mark the anniversaries of their deaths.

The ceremony began with a minutes silence followed by the recital of the National Anthem.

Delivering a speech at the ceremony, the Principle of the Rauf Raif Denktaş Turkish School Meryem Biricik said that the two leaders were exemplary individuals who had earned the respect of countries all across the world.

She said they will always be remembered.

The Principle of the Dr Fazıl Küçük Turkish School Ulaş Tözün in his speech said that both Dr Fazıl Küçük and Rauf Denktaş had devoted their lives to protecting the lives and defending the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people despite the hardships, difficulties, challenges and threats.

“They left behind the TRNC which we will do all we can to protect and preserve,” he added.

Also speaking, the TRNC Representative to London Çimen Keskin expressed her gratitude to the efforts and sacrifices of the two leaders, whom she said had unselfishly devoted their lives to the national cause.

Following the speeches, a short documentary on the lives of Dr Fazıl Küçük and Rauf Raif Denktaş was screened.

This was followed with presentations by students and a poetry recital.