German president pays visit to quake-hit Turkish city

GAZIANTEP

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on April 23 met with a group of earthquake survivors in the southern province of Gaziantep, which was devastated by last year’s disaster.

His trip to Gaziantep came as the second leg of a three-day tour in Türkiye, marking his first official visit to the country during his seven-year tenure.

Arriving in the southern city, Steinemeier firstly visited Gazikent Elementary School, part of whose construction was funded by the German government.

The German leader also attended events performed by children in celebration of National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, which commemorates the 104th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish parliament.

Steinemeir is expected to engage in talks with earthquake survivors at a temporary shelter center in the Nurdağı district, discussing their experiences following the disaster that claimed the lives of more than 53,000 people in the 11 provinces.

Steinmeier will then proceed to the capital Ankara, where a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is scheduled.

On the first day of his tour, a ceremony was held at Sirkeci Station in Istanbul to honor the first Turkish workers embarked on trains bound for Germany 63 years ago under a bilateral agreement.

"Sirkeci stands as a symbol of venturing into the unknown. A new language, new neighbors and colleagues, a new culture. Today, approximately 3 million people of Turkish origin reside in our country. They have contributed to building our nation, strengthened it and hold a special place in our society," Steinmeier said in his speech.

"And many German artists and intellectuals found refuge in Türkiye during the darkest period of our history," Steinmeier said, referring to several German figures who fled to Türkiye during the World War II era.

During the event in the station, pro-Palestinian protestors staged a protest, chanting "Murderer Israel, collaborator Germany,” over Berlin’s support for Israel in its war in the Gaza Strip. The group dispersed following police intervention.

Media widely covered the feast by a Turkish döner chef from Berlin, with the German president himself participating in the cutting of döner.

In the evening, Steinmeier visited the Museum of Innocence established by Turkish Nobel laureate author Orhan Pamuk with inspiration from one of his books.