Honorable Minister Karien van Gennip,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

- It is a great pleasure for me to be here tonight, to join you in this Iftar dinner, which signifies the spirit of solidarity during this holy month of Ramadan.

- I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the TOVER for organizing this event which brings together people from different backgrounds and cultures to celebrate the values of peace and solidarity.

- Türkiye and the Netherlands share strong historical ties and have long-standing economic and cultural relations. Yes, we celebrated in 2012 the 400^th anniversary of the dispatch of the first Dutch Ambassador in the Ottoman Porte, however relations go even before that century when Turks were supporting the Dutch against a Spanish fleet.

- Our bilateral trade volume exceeds US$10 billion. For years, the Netherlands has been the top foreign investor in Türkiye. Likewise, in terms of Turkish Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the Netherlands is at the top of the list. Today, there are 84 weekly flights between Türkiye and the Netherlands, enabling business people, students, tourists and other visitors to travel between two countries. More than 1.2 million of our Dutch friends have chosen Türkiye for their holidays in 2022.

- On this occasion, I would like to emphasize the importance we give to further development of bilateral trade relations between two countries.

- Let me express my deep appreciation for the solidarity shown by the Dutch Government, people, especially the Dutch-Turkish community, after the recent earthquakes in Türkiye.

- Your support, aid and assistance have been invaluable and they have touched the hearts of millions of Turkish people.

- Ramadan is a month of reflection, compassion and generosity, where we strive to connect with each other, our communities and the wider world.

- As we come together tonight to break our fast, let us remember those who are less fortunate and facing difficult circumstances, both at home and abroad.

- Let us renew our commitment to building bridges of understanding and cooperation between Türkiye and the Netherlands, based on mutual respect, trust and friendship.

- I hope that this evening's event will serve as a reminder of our shared values and aspirations and that it will further strengthen the bonds between our countries and peoples.

- Once again, I extend my warmest wishes to you all for a blessed Ramadan, and I thank you for your attention.

- Teşekkür ederim, dank u wel!