AKP Spokesperson Çelik: Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı displayed an extremely important stance

AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik, who attended the funeral of the renowned historian Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı, who passed away at the hospital where he was being treated in Istanbul, made statements after the funeral. Stating that Ortaylı displayed a very important stance against the black propaganda directed at Turkey, Çelik said, "Today, we are laying to rest a very great scholar, a very great value raised by our country. We came here today to perform our final duty to him. We have been benefiting from his knowledge and his great values since our student years. Since our student years, we have read his books and listened to his conferences. 

Later, all of Turkey listened to and watched his television programs together. And he was at the forefront of those who led us in making peace with our history, recognizing our past, and recognizing our identity. He has a great contribution to correcting many wrongs in Turkey, to our nation reuniting with its values, and to eliminating the fake debates and fake findings that were put before us and replacing them with the truth. I truly said it in my condolence message; he was a scholar in the full sense of the word, he was a master in the full sense of the word, and he was a son of the homeland in the full sense of the word. He displayed an extremely important stance with his knowledge and wisdom against the black propaganda directed at Turkey, especially regarding the Armenian issue. He revealed great values with his studies that were accepted at a universal level, on the basis of science and knowledge, in the protection of our country's values," he said.

Noting that they are experiencing the sadness of losing a great scholar raised in these lands, Çelik said, "We are truly very sad today. We are sending off a great scholar, a great value raised by these lands, on his final journey. We all bore witness together that we knew him well. Soil brought from Crimea, soil brought from Gallipoli, and soil brought from Çanakkale were all placed together in his grave. Even this was actually a prayer said for his horizon from here, a salute made to his horizon from here. 

With the decision of our President, his burial in the courtyard of the Fatih Mosque and his introduction here is also a sign of respect and a salute to the effort he put forth for the correct perception of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han at a universal level; today, we are sending him off on his final journey with a funeral prayer where scientists from the world of science, historians, our citizens, our young brothers and sisters, and people from all walks of life have gathered together. May God have abundant mercy on him, may his place be heaven.

The country has lost a great value, the world of science has lost a great scholar, and a great man of science whom the past called 'allame-i küll' (the all-knowing). We have truly read his books since our student years, looked at the places he pointed out, and benefited greatly from this. He played a major role in shaping the perspective and historical understanding of all of us. Of course, history is not just the past; history is also our definition and our future at the same time.

For that reason, he also put forth a great effort in transferring them to current debates, in guiding politics, and in eliminating some attacks directed at our country. I am truly very sad; we are truly experiencing the pain of losing a great scholar. I wish him God's mercy. We conveyed our condolences to his family a little while ago. We also presented the condolences of our President and our party. Of course, it is clear here that the nation is taking ownership of its own values," he said.