Prince Edward expresses sympathies over Ankara attack during Istanbul visit

İpek Yezdani - ISTANBUL

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Prince Edward, 51, has expressed his deepest sympathies for the Turkish people following the deadly terror attacks at a peace rally in the capital Ankara, which killed at least 99 people and wounded more than 200. 

“These [events] are [a] reminder of why we must all stick together,” Prince Edward said during his visit to the Tarabya British School in Istanbul on Oct. 15.  

Prince Edward visited the Darüşşafaka Education Institutions and Tarabya British School in Istanbul for their involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Program. 

Turkey first hosted the U.K. awards program - which encourages educational achievement and citizenship - in 1995. Darüşşafaka has been member of the scheme since 2005.

Prince Edward talked to the students and congratulated a number of children who won awards. The prince also launched a symbolic opening of Tarabya British Schools’ Yeniköy Elementary School. “This might not necessarily be the most exciting experience in your life, but I would like you to pretend this is the most exciting experience of your life,” the prince quipped to the audience.    

Yeniköy Elementary School was built in 1872 and has belonged to the Yeniköy Panayia Greek Orthodox Church and School Foundation since then. The Zoğrafyan Elementary School for Girls, which has not had any students for the last 35 years, has been rented to the Tarabya British Schools for 10 years by the foundation.