During an event organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Education and Culture entitled “North Cyprus Volunteer Ambassadors”, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu briefed students coming from developing countries who are studying in the TRNC universities with state scholarships on the Cyprus issue.
Ertuğruloğlu and Minister of National Education and Culture Özdemir Berova spoke to students about the Cyprus issue as well as about the TRNC and answered the questions of the students, during a meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Conference Hall.
Minister Ertuğruloğlu talked about the history of the Cyprus issue, the injustices and the isolations that the Turkish Cypriot people have been suffering for years and the Cyprus negotiation process. Ertuğruloğlu also asked students to become “the voice of the Turkish Cypriot people” when they return to their countries after graduation.
Ertuğruloğlu stated that the Turkish Cypriot people live in freedom and peace thanks to the TRNC, and that it can host many students from different countries thanks to the development of its higher education sector. He stressed that the TRNC focuses on developing its higher education and tourism sectors with the support of Turkey.
The Foreign Minister also said that although the Turkish Cypriot people are involved in the negotiations to reach an agreement, it is not possible to succeed because of the attitudes of the Greek Cypriot side, which sees Turkish Cypriots as a minority. Ertuğruloğlu added that a solution will never be achieved in the current negotiation process, which has been ongoing for 50 years, because it is not based on equality.
Speaking during the meeting, National Education and Culture Minister Özdemir Berova said that students from 140 countries are receiving their education in the TRNC and their aim is for the students to get to know the TRNC and its culture. Berova added that out of the 93,000 students in the TRNC, 27,000 are foreigners, and that university students represent one third of the TRNC population.
After the meeting, a reception took place in honour of the students and students took many pictures to remember the day. A cultural event was also organised for students at Büyük Han later that day.