Street name of new US embassy building in Ankara changed to ‘Malcolm X’

ANKARA

A bill suggesting to change the street name of the new United States Embassy to “Malcolm X” was unanimously approved by the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Council on Oct. 13.

The embassy will move to its new address at 1478 Street in the Çukurambar neighborhood when construction is completed. According to the construction contractors BL Harbert, the new complex is due to be finished in 2020.

The street now has been named after the American human rights activist, who is known for his struggle for the black and Muslim people in the U.S. in the 1950s until his assassination in 1965.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had met the daughters of Malcolm X, Qubilah and Ilyasah Shabazz, during his visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly meetings.

“He has invited me to Turkey. Mr. Erdoğan said they have planned to give my father’s name to a street in Ankara and he invited us to the opening ceremony. That will probably happen this year,” said Ilyasah Shabazz after the meeting on Sept. 24.

The Ankara Metropolitan Municipality had changed the street name of the current U.S. Embassy building to “Olive Branch” in February after the military operation against ISIL and YPG militants in northern Syria.

The YPG, deemed the Syrian offshoot of the illegal PKK, is supported by the U.S. in fighting against the ISIL.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.