Costa Rica’s President gave Message of Peace with ‘Köroğlu’

In his speech at Bahçeşehir University, Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias Sanchez, gave a message of world peace and disarmament by showing examples of Köroğlu’s struggle. Arias, who reminded the audience of the coup in Honduras – which is located right next to his country, underlined that the electoral system and the existence of institutions would not be sufficient for the survival of democracy, and young people need to be told the true meaning of these concepts.

 

Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias Sanchez – who was invited by official invitation from Abdullah Gül, the President of Turkey, was awarded an honorary doctorate at Bahçeşehir University.

 

Prior to the ceremony, a bilateral academic cooperation protocol was signed between Bahçeşehir University and the University of Peace, which was assembled on 5 December 1980 with a decision of the United Nations. The agreement was signed by the Rector, Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Arıboğan on behalf of Bahçeşehir University, and by the Rector, Retired Ambassador, John J. Maresca on behalf of UPEA. Following the signing of the agreement, Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias Sanchez was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Rector of Bahçeşehir University, Deniz Ülke Arıboğan and the Board of Trustees Chairman, Enver Yücel.

 

Speaking at the ceremony, President Oscar Arias Sanchez of Costa Rica emphasized that peace and disarmament should be pursued and the expenditures on military should be decreased. Further, the expenditures on health and education should be increased. In his speech, by giving examples from the famous Turkish story Köroğlu, Arias specified that the coup which occurred in Honduras should be noted as a guide to democracy in the entire world.

 

Costa Rica’s President Arias started his speech with the Köroglu story and stated that Köroğlu quit his rebellion – which was for his blind father’s revenge against the cruel man’s army. After the usage of rifles of the cruel man’s army, Köroğlu said “the enemy was arrived, lined as battalion, black fate was written on our destiny, the rifle was invented, manliness is broken, curved sword in its sheath must be rusty.” and stated that the war will end. Arias also said that, “Köroğlu understands that this vicious cycle will not end. Nothing could re-establish justice.”

 

Reminding the audience of the decision of removing the army of Costa Rica in 1948, Arias demonstrated that it was a turning point for his country. Stating the expenditures on military sources should be considered for health, education and development of the country, Arias also invited the rest of the world to consider disarmament and restriction on military resources. He also reiterated Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s message after the War of Independence, “Peace at home, Peace in the World” to the audience.

 

Disarmament, military spending, and the restriction of freedom of ideas should not remain only in the corridors of parliament, stated the Nobel Prize-winning President Arias, the coup in Honduras should be a lesson to every community. Arias also said, “These events show a bitter truth that elections or creation of institutions are not sufficient for democracy’s triumph over tyranny. We must teach the real meanings of these words to our children by explaining the political processes. We should show them that a country’s destiny is connected not only to the leaders but also to the young and old, every single citizen’s votes.”

 

Stating the delight for Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias Sanchez’s visit to Bahçeşehir University, Rector Deniz Ülke Arıboğan emphasized that Latin America consists of many countries with a total 2 trillion dollars gross national product and 700 billion dollars foreign trade capacity. Demonstrating Turkey’s expansion policy to Latin America in 1997 and putting this expansion plan into operation again in 2006, Arıboğan expressed that, “The honorary doctorate, which is introduced for Mr. Oscar Arias, is important not only for relations between Turkey and Costa Rica, but also important for Bahçeşehir University.”

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