Delivering remarks at a meeting with representatives of TURKEN Foundation, Erdoğan said: “The future of a nation that turns its back on its youth and does not pay attention to developing their spiritual and mental worlds, is under threat. We have spared no sacrifice to make sure that our youth are raised in the best and most well-equipped manner.”

“We closely follow TURKEN’s activities”

Noting that he closely followed the activities of the TURKEN Foundation, which was a home and a roof to the Turkish youth in the U.S., Erdoğan said: “I know that you continued your support to our Muslim student brothers and sisters in the U.S. during the pandemic. I congratulate you on your efforts and sacrifices.”

“It is praiseworthy that TURKEN serves over 500 students at 8 centers in 5 different states since 2014. I believe the dormitory in New York, whose process I am closely monitoring, will be completed soon, and begin to serve Turkish and foreign students,” Erdoğan said.

“We spared no sacrifice to make sure that our youth are raised in the best manner”

“The youth, which is the most precious treasure and the spring of human life, is also the most critical period when the individual’s character and persona are formed. The future of a nation that turns its back on its youth, and does not pay attention to developing their spiritual and mental worlds, is under threat. Even the slightest negligence in this issue would cost dearly to our country, to our nation and of course to our cause. We have approached in this spirit to youth studies during our governments. We have spared no sacrifice to make sure that our youth are raised in the best and most well-equipped manner,” Erdoğan underscored.

“The TURKEN Foundation, with its activities, invests in both our youth and also in the future of Turkey and the Turkish-American community. The exemplary activities of our foundation significantly contribute to our fight against Islamophobia, which is the plague of our age,” Erdoğan said.

“We do not have even a single child to lose to terrorist organizations whether it be DAESH, PKK, or FETO. We feel in our hearts the pain of every young person, who knowingly or unknowingly fell prey to these organizations, to whom we could not get through, whose hand we could not hold. Therefore, we will work five times harder than they do,” Erdoğan underscored.