İsmail Beşikçi Tribute Night Held at Radisson Blu Ottomare

The “İsmail Beşikçi Tribute Night,” jointly organized by the İsmail Beşikçi Vakfı and the Güneştekin Vakfı, was held at the Radisson Blu Ottomare.

The event honored academic and author İsmail Beşikçi, highlighting his scientific contributions, moral stance, and his role in addressing the historical realities of the Kurdish people. The night was attended by numerous intellectuals, artists, and business figures.

The opening speeches were delivered by İbrahim Gürbüz, President of the İsmail Beşikçi Foundation, and Ahmet Güneştekin, President of the Güneştekin Foundation.

In his speech, İbrahim Gürbüz described İsmail Beşikçi as “the honor of science and the conscience of humanity,” noting that the foundation was established in 2012 to preserve Beşikçi’s intellectual legacy and to advance Kurdish studies.

Emphasizing the importance of investments in science, culture, and the arts for the future of the Kurdish people, Gürbüz stated: “When we look at the history of liberated nations, we see that a strong intellectual class and a strong economic class are decisive. What Kurds need most is knowledge and intellectual capacity.”

He added that the foundation has organized hundreds of panels, conferences, and symposiums to date, published numerous books, and provided scholarships for master’s and doctoral students. He also noted that the foundation has branches in Diyarbakır and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in addition to Istanbul.

Gürbüz further stated that a 10-dunam plot of land had been allocated to the foundation in Erbil by Masrour Barzani, where work is ongoing to establish the “İsmail Beşikçi Kurdology Academy” as an educational and cultural center. He also noted initiatives to establish the “Beşikçi Center for Human Studies” at Duhok University, as well as the presence of Beşikçi busts at Soran and Duhok universities.

Highlighting the importance of preserving language and culture, Gürbüz said: “A nation that preserves its language and culture is reborn wherever it is.”

He also emphasized that the İsmail Beşikçi Foundation is not only an institution, but also a center of conscience and awareness that supports scientific production and builds a bridge to the future.

Due to health reasons, İsmail Beşikçi joined the event online and expressed his gratitude to the organizers and participants.

A message from the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani, was also read during the event. In his message, Barzani highlighted the importance of Beşikçi’s contributions to the understanding of the historical and social realities of the Kurdish people.

During the night, artists Rewşan and Delil Dilanar performed musical pieces, which were met with strong interest from the audience.

The event concluded with a call to pass on İsmail Beşikçi’s intellectual legacy to future generations and to strengthen Kurdish cultural institutionalization.

Source 1: https://ilketv.com.tr/ismail-besikci-icin-istanbulda-vefa-gecesi-kurtlerin-en-cok-ihtiyac-duydugu-sey-bilgi-ve-entelektuel-potansiyeldir/

Source 2: https://nerinaazad2.com/tr/ismail-besikci-icin-istanbulda-vefa-gecesi-duzenlendi