His Excellency Eppo Ruins, Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
Mrs. Gülay Fitöz, Director of NP2E,
Distinguished guests,

We are here today for a remembrance event organized on the second anniversary of the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye of 6 February 2023.

It was the “disaster of the century”. Two separate and powerful shocks destroyed a lot in minutes. Our nation mourned for the unfortunate loss of more than 50.000. Hundreds of thousands were injured.

The Netherlands was one of the first countries to respond immediately. The Dutch men and women who rushed to the disaster zone in the aftermath witnessed the magnitude of the loss.

The invaluable work conducted by the Dutch Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team and the airborne MEDIVAC unit, efforts and contributions of Dutch NGOs, doctors and friends - including the Dutch-Turkish police officers - have all been instrumental in relief efforts. We are thankful that USAR team had saved 12 people, 1 dog and a canary from the rubble. As it is stated in all faiths of humanity, saving one life is saving humanity.

Therefore, I wish to express once again heartfelt gratitude for the invaluable efforts of the Dutch people who expressed their support with the Turkish nation. Together with the mobilization of the Turkish-Dutch community, more than 120.000 trucks and several cargo planes were dispatched from the Netherlands to the disaster zone with much needed humanitarian aid. Dutch people also raised more than 120 million Euros through the Giro555. Dutch solidarity will never be forgotten.

Mr. Minister,

We all lost someone. As Foreign Ministry we have lost two valuable members of our Office in Hatay, one being a close colleague of mine – Ambassador Devrim Öztürk who was also in charge of facilitating the UN humanitarian assistance to Syria.

Our gathering here today at Mauritshuis has another significance. Following the 2023 earthquakes, women victims of the disaster wanted to express their gratitude to the Netherlands by creating a tapestry inspired by Johannes Vermeer’s masterpiece, “Girl with a Pearl Earring”. This was realized as part of a civil society project of the NGO “New Path to Equality” or “NP2E” which has united more than 110 women residing in post-earthquake shelters. After a two-year tour through Türkiye, Strasbourg and Amsterdam, the centerpiece of NP2E’s project has arrived at the home of the “Girl with a Pearl Earring”.

This solidarity between the Turkish and Dutch peoples is not new. During the course of our almost 500-years-old relations, two nations always enjoyed an excellent cooperation. They stood side-by-side during difficult times such as wars and natural disasters. Turkish nation was always quick to extend solidarity and offer support when the Netherlands faced devastating floods in 1916, 1953 and 2021.

During those first days, I learned that the Netherlands had decided to establish USAR.NL after the tragic earthquakes that struck Türkiye in 1999. On 23 June 2023 when I attended the 20th anniversary of the foundation of USAR as a guest of honour together with the then Foreign Minister Mr. Hoestra, I have told the audience that there was a proposal of the Turkish-Dutch community to establish a Dutch-Turkish search and rescue team. In 2024, at the 100th anniversary of the signature of our Friendship Treaty, this proposal was materialized. And the day before I have attended a raising awareness activity in Amsterdam for HESAR (Human Emergency Search and Rescue). This new Dutch NGO actually comprises those Dutch-Turkish police officers who helped the victims of the 2023 disaster as volunteers. I am proud to say that HESAR will yet be another symbol of Turkish-Dutch solidarity.

I would like to thank you all for being with us today. I now invite you all for a minute of silence.