Honorable members of the Testa Family,

Excellencies,

Dignitaries,

It is a privilege for us to attend this ceremony on the occasion of handing over the Testa Relics onto the next generation of the Testa Family in its new venue. I would like to thank Mr. Andre and Patrick Testa for inviting and presenting the first copy of this book about the relics. I would like to congratulate Mrs. Noepy Testa on her receiving this outstanding responsibility.

Testa Family has a very special place in the centuries-old Turkish-Dutch relations. Since the 13th century, they have played an important role during the Genoese, Byzantine and Ottoman periods of Istanbul. After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, their diplomatic skills were duly recognized and employed by the Ottoman Empire as interpreters and mediators.

Their most recent ancestor, Baron Testa (father of our friends here today) was the first chair of the Dutch-Turkish Association founded in 1934. I would like to announce that original copy of a correspondence between Baron Testa and one of my predecessors is now displayed in Almelo at the Turkish Migration Museum recently opened on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the signature of Friendship Treaty between Türkiye and the Netherlands.

The Turkish Embassy in the Hague has always been and is still in close contact with the Testa Family. As I have said earlier to them, we never forget our friends. Today’s event is yet another occasion to honor our friends on this very special day of Eid at the end of Ramadan.

I am sure the Testa Family, with the granddaughter of Baron Tesla with us today, will continue to keep our shared memories of an excellent history of friendship.

Thank you.