Kacır and Gezeravcı hold press conference at Esenboğa Airport
Turkey's first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, handed over flags representing the experiments he conducted at the International Space Station (ISS) to the youth, who are the guarantee of the future.
AA
Having completed his mission at the ISS and returned to the country, Alper Gezeravcı held a press conference at Esenboğa Airport with Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır.
Turkey's first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, handed a flag to each of the young people representing the experiments he conducted at the International Space Station, stating, "We have carried out the passing of the torch for our blessed journey that begins from here on out."
Speaking there, Gezeravcı expressed that he was extremely happy to have been met with the smiling faces of people and the warm embrace of the homeland from the very first moment he stepped into Turkey. Stating that this was one of the things he missed the most, Gezeravcı said, "Reuniting and coming together with the sincere, genuine people of a country with high spirituality, with our Turkish citizens, was the most beautiful concluding part of this journey."
Recalling that he distributed Turkish flags to the students who welcomed them with flowers, Gezeravcı continued his words as follows:
"As Turkey's first astronaut, by personally handing over a flag representing each of the experiments we conducted there to our dear brothers and sisters we just met, who are the guarantee of our future, we have carried out the passing of the torch for our blessed journey that begins from here on out. As our Minister also expressed with a very strong will, this was just a beginning; it was not a story of reaching a destination. I returned with the emotions of people who expressed their heartfelt congratulations for the work we have done."