President Erdoğan: We will not lose our youth to social media

Making important statements at the meeting with youth and athletes, Erdoğan said, "With the process of a Turkey without terrorism, we are striving to save our country from a half-century-old scourge and to deliver a country where prosperity and brotherhood prevail. Just as we have for the last 23.5 years, we will continue with determination to stand by our youth in every field and to make the greatest investment in our youth."

President Erdoğan stated, "Today, we are together with both our national athletes who proudly wave our flag all over the world, and our young people from our 81 provinces as well as different countries who stand out with their knowledge, skills, and exemplary personalities. First of all, I congratulate each of you individually. I wish you all a bright future full of success in your sports, education, and professional lives. You are a source of pride not only for your families but also for our nation. Personally, I see the young people here as representatives of a pioneering, architectural, and guiding generation that will build a great and strong Turkey and bring the Century of Turkey to life."

'YOU CANNOT WALK INTO THE FUTURE'

Addressing the youth, President Erdoğan said, "It is a fact that you cannot walk into the future without achieving your independence. We are a nation that has paid very heavy prices for both our independence and our future. We are a nation that has defended this homeland, where we have lived for a thousand years, at the cost of our lives regardless of the conditions, and has protected our national and sacred values, symbolized by our flag, with a spirit of unity and brotherhood. The most critical element of this defense line, which connects the past with the future and provides the spiritual bond between ancestors and descendants, is the youth who flourish on these lands watered by the blood of martyrs and veterans. This youth showed itself once again with all its strength and courage on May 19, 1919. For the first page of our epic national struggle was written on May 19, 1919, with the ink of our nation's independence and future, together with the youth of Anatolia. In those difficult days when the clouds of captivity covered our skies, our nation became one heart and subsequently inflicted a great defeat on the occupying armies. The first step taken on May 19 was crowned with the proclamation of our Republic on October 29, following a struggle adorned with difficulties and heroism. Thus, the Turkish nation declared to the whole world once again that it would break the dirty hands reaching for its independence and future, without looking at who is behind them. I want you to know that this will is standing tall today, just as it was 107 years ago."

'WE ARE STRIVING TO BUILD'

AKP Chairman and President Erdoğan continued his speech as follows: "You are the representatives of such a youth today. We, in turn, are striving to serve you in the best way possible and to build the peaceful, secure, and prosperous future of our youth. With the process of a Turkey without terrorism, we are trying to save our country from a half-century-old scourge on one hand, and to strengthen our national unity and solidarity on the other, and to deliver to you a country where prosperity and brotherhood prevail. Our greatest goal is for you not to experience the difficulties we have lived through, and not to suffer the hardships we have endured. Just as we have for the last 23.5 years, we will continue with determination to stand by our youth in every field and to make the greatest investment in our youth. We will continue to walk arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder with our youth on the path to our Century of Turkey goals. I pray that the Almighty may be our helper. I remember with mercy our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for our nation. I wish our veterans a blessed and healthy life. I respectfully remember the Commander-in-Chief of the national struggle, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his comrades-in-arms, and the heroic members of our 'Prophet's Hearth' (the military). With these thoughts, I congratulate you and all our youth on the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day."

'YOU KEEP ME YOUNG'

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also answered questions from the youth there. Upon being asked how it feels to meet with young people frequently, Erdoğan said, "As a leader who has dedicated his life to the youth, I wanted to express how much importance I attach to the youth, especially in terms of walking into the future with them, by building this place as a national library. You know we have a youth center here. Likewise, we have another youth center in Rami, Istanbul. I think that the more I come together with young people, the younger I stay. And I believe that the younger we stay, the more firmly the youth will hold the future of their country in building it. And with this meeting of ours, you are keeping me young, and I believe that I, along with you, my young brothers and sisters, am taking and will continue to take our steps accordingly in the construction of the future."

'WALKING WITH THE YOUTH IS A PLEASURE FOR US'

When asked what it feels like to walk with the youth, Erdoğan said, "Working with the youth, walking with the youth is truly a special pleasure for us. Especially as you get closer to the goal with the youth, you naturally feel a great honor. Being together with the youth under this roof right now is irreplaceable. I believe there are about 200 young people here right now. And all of these young people are university students. And this is a youth that will build the tomorrows of Turkey. Can we build the tomorrows of Turkey? If you ask me, we can. Have no doubt about it. We have young athletes among us. And each of these young athletes is precious, each is in the effort of building the future; therefore, look, we just recently won championships in taekwondo. We became European champions as a team. This means if we do it, it happens. The whole issue is to be determined, and when we say we will do it, we do it."

Regarding the youth's use of social media, President Erdoğan said, "Social media is currently the biggest problem for our youth. But this stance, you know this stance... Because of this stance, I hope we will not lose our youth to them on social media. And without losing them to them, we will ensure that our youth walks on the right path. As long as you maintain this stance."

News Source: 12punto