Last week…

What a week that was, how it came and went. My head is spinning. What do you think?

Following the visits to İmralı and the surrounding area, the necessary colorful statements were made. And they were made one after another. In response to the "lay down your arms" and "look toward democracy" statements coming from İmralı, not a single word was uttered from Kandil regarding weapons. A decision to "declare a ceasefire" arrived. In response to the rhetoric of "liquidate the PKK," a statement came saying "let the congress decide." Oh, my. Peace is beautiful. It has many equations. It is difficult to solve. They looked and saw that the "peace process" is not being discussed much in public opinion. It turned into sending people to Anatolia, to the districts, to the neighborhoods to "explain peace." In my opinion, a game is being played. The public sees this. They want to believe, but they don't. Peace is like worn-out fabric, being forced to fit the current fashion. It doesn't fit. Our wish is for peace to prevail.

The public's real agenda is the economy. The struggle to make a living. Debts. Credit cards. In a public opinion poll, the economy is far ahead with 61.5%. Is it the worn-out fashion of "peace"? Or is it the "bread" that the impoverished public will eat tonight? Or the "electricity bill" they will pay tomorrow?

That is the state of the country's agenda.

So, what is happening in the world? Since Trump arrived, the world's balance has been disrupted; there is no equilibrium left. He scolds and fires the heads of state who come and go. He makes statements about the previous President Joe Biden, calling him "the worst, most incompetent president in US history." Before the elections, he had also humiliated him by saying, "... he cannot solve two questions in a cognitive test." It is not just my head that should be spinning; the whole world's head should be spinning!

And then there is a diploma story in my country that is a complete tragicomedy. The subject: is the transfer from university to university fake or not? It is a complete farce. Two people are appointed to the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). Before they even sit in their chairs, they are made experts. On the day they are appointed, these two people prepare a 200-page expert report, check it again, make corrections, sign it, and get it to the court on time. They are truly supermen. They would even baffle artificial intelligence.

This is certainly not the entire summary of the week in the world and in our country, but the month of Ramadan is coming and going in this state. What happened in our neighborhood and mine last week? Let me share as much as my column allows.

The troubles of the world and the country have shaken us too. The ordinary general assembly of TÜLOV (Turkey Promotion, Research, Democracy and Secular Formation Foundation) took place in an atmosphere between peace and a ceasefire. Some topics were postponed for two weeks to be discussed again. Two days after the unfinished general assembly, on Sunday evening, March 2, we took a deep breath with a magnificent concert titled "There is Life in Songs" by the TÜLOV TSM choir, one of Turkey's largest choirs, at the İzmir Ahmed Adnan Saygun Art Center Hall. Love, peace, and even the taste of life were in that hall. Under the elegant direction of İzmir's beloved and successful conductor Ümit Bulut, they reached into the depths of our souls as the audience with their songs. I offer my sincere thanks to the Founding President of our choir, Nurşen Yılmaz, who has been preparing for months, and to the choir members. Especially the place of our 92-year-old female choir member Suna Dervişbey in this success was another beauty. She deserved minutes of applause. On behalf of her and the women of our choir, I celebrate the March 8 International Working Women's Day for all our women.

The breath I took on the evening of the concert was so good that I couldn't stop myself; I started the week with the pruning, fertilizing, and spraying of the trees and olive groves preparing for spring in the garden of our house in Altınköy, Urla Yağcılar Neighborhood.

On Wednesday, March 5, I attended the commemoration ceremony at the Yenikale Martyrs' Cemetery within the borders of Balçova Municipality. We commemorated the martyrs and veterans with mercy, gratitude, and feelings full of appreciation. I offer my gratitude to the heroes who did not allow the occupation of İzmir 110 years ago before the Gallipoli War. May their souls rest in peace. I have shared with you a portion of the notes from my diary regarding last week.

Today, we are starting a new week with Ekrem İmamoğlu announcing his Presidential Candidacy at the Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Sports Hall in Karşıyaka, İzmir. May no harm come to our President. At the beginning of a new era in a new world, I wish for the city of democracy, İzmir, to bring success and luck on this journey. May his path be clear.

Prof. Dr. Nurettin DEMİR