Tuluhan Tekelioğlu meets with women from Osmangazi

Acting with the belief that 'a woman who reads becomes free, enlightened, and self-confident,' the Osmangazi Municipality is helping women in the district gain the habit of reading and turn this activity into a daily ritual through its highly popular 'Women Meet Their Author' project.

Within the scope of the project, books with fluent content that contribute to personal development are distributed free of charge to women in neighborhoods determined in two-month periods, in cooperation with local neighborhood heads (muhtars).

As part of the project, the book 'Yapa-bilirsin' (You Can Do It), written by Tuluhan Tekelioğlu, was distributed to women living in the Soğanlı, Alemdar, Gaziakdemir, and Sırameşeler neighborhoods, which were designated as the starting points of the project last July. The women, who read the book that tells the success stories of 9 women, came together with the famous author at an event held at the Panorama 1326 Conquest Museum.

The program, prepared by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, began with the screening of the 'Yapabilirsin' (You Can Do It) documentary, which tells the stories of hope and inspiration of 9 women from all over Turkey, as mentioned in the book 'Yapa-bilirsin' by 12punto.com.tr contributor, journalist, and author Tuluhan Tekelioğlu.

"LET'S UNLEASH THE POWER WITHIN US"

In her speech following the documentary screening, Tekelioğlu stated that there are millions of women with stories full of hope and inspiration, saying, "I was very moved when the Osmangazi Municipality called me and said they were distributing my book to women and wanted to bring me together with the women who read it.

It is truly very important for a municipality to create special projects for women and organize such beautiful events. I heartily congratulate the administrators and employees of the Osmangazi Municipality. When I go to different cities and give speeches, I see the same energy in the eyes of our other women that I saw in the eyes of the women featured in the documentary.

Because the number of our women with stories full of hope and inspiration is not 9, not 900, not 9 thousand, but in the millions. We just need to shake off this inertia that has been cast upon us. We just need to unleash this power within us," she said.

"THE DESTINY OF THIS COUNTRY SHOULD NOT BE WRITTEN WITH THE DEATHS OF WOMEN"

Speaking about the murder of 8-year-old Narin Güran in Diyarbakır, Tekelioğlu said, "I know everyone has their own troubles. Moreover, in recent days, we are also troubled by the troubles of our country. Little Narin's fate should not have been this. I hope the perpetrators are found and receive the heaviest punishment. Unfortunately, what Narin experienced is not the first or the only one. There are many Narins in lives we do not know about. Cruel people become the murderers of innocent children like Narin. I hope this incident is the last. I hope the necessary work is done to prevent such incidents. We have a very important law that was enacted in 2012: The Law on the Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women. When this law is applied, violence stops. We must do our best to ensure that this Law No. 6284 is implemented. The destiny of this country should not be written with the deaths of women," she said.

"THE POWER OF CHANGE IS WOMAN"

Stating, "We want to see our women not as victims of violence, but as examples of success," Tekelioğlu said, "There can be pressures from our family, relatives, and society. We have all heard words like 'You are a woman, you wouldn't understand' or 'Don't interfere in men's business.' The successes of our women have been the best answer to these words. The lives of the women in the documentary are the most concrete examples of the answers given. There are many more women with success stories that we do not know about. I wish we could make a documentary about them too. We want to see our women not as victims of violence, but as examples of success. We, as women, will achieve this. Do not wait for someone to come and save you, or to come and chart your path. Get up, fight, work, and take control of your own lives. Be the heroes of your own lives. If a woman changes, she changes the whole world. When a woman smiles, society smiles. The power of change is woman," she said.

At the end of the talk, Osmangazi Deputy Mayor Mutlu Esendemir thanked journalist and author Tuluhan Tekelioğlu for her participation and presented her with flowers. At the end of the event, which attracted great interest from the women of Osmangazi, journalist and author Tekelioğlu signed her books for her fans in Osmangazi.

News Source: İHA