Consisting of 165 original artworks created by 92 talented artists of our country, the exhibition themed "Dr. Fazıl Küçük and National Struggle", which was organized in memory of the 35th dead anniversary of the Turkish Cypriot Leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük by Cyprus Turkish National History Museum that situated within the body of Near East University Education Foundation, was opened by TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı.
According to the press info released by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of Near East University, the exhibition, which was devoted to Dr. Fazıl Küçük, the Leader of Turkish Cypriot people's struggle for freedom and existence, was realized with great participation at Cyprus Arts Center that located in Atatürk Culture and Congress Center (AKKM). It was stated that TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı, the Commander of Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces, Major General Yılmaz Yıldırım, Security Forces Commander Brigadier General Tevfik Algan, Main Opposition Party Leader Ersin Tatar, MPs, Dr. Fazıl Küçük's son Mehmet Küçük, Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel, Near East University Rector Professor Ümit Hassan, NEU Board of Trustees Chairman Associate Professor Irfan Günsel, vice rectors, deans, faculty members and guests participated in the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
The opening ceremony began with a moment of silence and followed by the singing of the national anthem. Then, NEU Rector Professor Ümit Hassan, Mehmet Küçük and President Mustafa Akıncı delivered a speech respectively.
Created by our country's talented artists, artworks consisting of oil paintings, acrylic paintings, ceramics/sculpture, historic photographs prepared by using overlap technique, artworks created by using collage technique, video graphics, digital illustration, digital printing and linocut printmaking techniques will be displayed at the exhibition. Besides, a hyperrealist silicone sculpture created by using special technique for placing real hair on the face, arms and legs to depict and potrait Dr. Fazıl Küçük will be exhibited. The exhibition themed "Dr. Fazıl Küçük and National Struggle" will be open for visit throughout a month.
Having been taken by Cypriot photographers, who had experienced those years and witnessed many events, photographs depicting Dr. Fazıl Küçük and reflecting events experienced during the years of national struggle will also be displayed at the exhibition. Besides Austin Princess brand car that presented by the Queen Elizabeth to Dr. Fazıl Küçük while he was the Vice President of the Republic of Cyprus and Dr. Küçük's private Chevrolet brand car will be exhibited.
Prof. Dr. Ümit Hassan: "Dr. Küçük means National Struggle..."
Delivering the first opening remarks of the exhibition, NEU Rector Professor Ümit Hassan stated that they were heartedly commemorating Dr. Fazıl Küçük with respect and gratitude by underlining that national struggle was the synonym of the name of Dr. Fazıl Küçük.
Highlighting that they were experiencing a period in which the Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel had been opening the doors of arts in order to stake a claim on our country's cultural, historical and artistic heritage and bring color and vividness to the social life, NEU Rector Professor Hassan stated that all cultural, historical and artistic activities carried out by Near East University via the foresight and initiative of the Founding Rector Dr. Günsel was crowned at the spiritual presence of Dr. Fazıl Küçük. “With his devotion to his country, the Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel has mobilized all possibilities to open new horizons for our country and people and convey our historical heritage, cultural values and artistic accumulations to next generations. By giving new accelerations and adding impetus to arts, the Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel continues to add not only color, vividness, qualities and aesthetic senses to our social life but also national beauties to our political life and history” said he.
Expressing the characteristics of Dr. Fazıl Küçük with symbolic remarks, Professor Ümit Hassan used the words determination, leadership, nationalism, strategic realism, principlism, kindliness, foresight, journalism and medicine to define Dr. Fazıl Küçük, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot people's struggle for existence and freedom. Underlining that Dr. Fazıl Küçük with his determination and leadership became the voice of the Turkish Cypriot rights during the years of national struggle, Professor Hassan stated that Dr. Küçük achieved to reinforce the Turkish Cypriots resistance, strength and moral power required for striving for existence and freedom. "His leadership was grounded not only on his abilities such as impressing with confidence, generating resistance and excitement with organizational elements, and forming teams but also on his devotion and deep love for his country. His idea regarding national formation was based on preparing a common ground and common plan enabling Turkish Cypriot people to act and progress together with Turkey. At the same time, Dr. Küçük succeeded in overlapping the dynamics of Cyprus with external dynamics. Through Söz Newspaper, Halkın Sesi, KATAK, Turkish Cypriot National Union Party, "Cyprus is Turkish" slogan and "Either Division or Death" motto, he had achieved to combine internal and external initiatives for the National Struggle” noted he.
In his final remarks, Professor Hassan stated that Dr. Küçük had distinguished characteristics specific to him adding that he was a kind, joke-lover and wise physician who enhanced the fabric of the society and acted devotedly to fulfill the requirements of the national struggle.
The Turkish Cypriots Struggle for existence that identified With Dr. Küçük should be conveyed to the Next Generations...
In his opening remarks, the son of Dr. Fazıl Küçük, Mehmet Küçük extended his appreciations to those who contributed to the exhibition.
"I am sorry because Dr. Fazıl Küçük, who laid the foundation of these days, didn't have opportunity to see these places and these days. This land on which the university was situated on was empty field. Now, this land houses a magnificent home of education. I feel sorry that Dr. Küçük was not able to see this magnificent home of knowledge said he.
Underlining that the young generations need to know their past and history well before setting out to explore the future, Mehmet Küçük stated that it was the duty of the universities to convey Dr. Fazıl Küçük, who was identified with the Turkish Cypriots' national struggle, to next generations. “Today, here, we are able to sing our national anthem and our flag is waving next to Turkish flag. When Dr. Fazıl Küçük set a foot on the way of striving for existence and freedom, our national anthem was the "Long Live the Queen" and English flag was waving on these lands. It is our duty to pave the way for new generations to learn and understand how we reached these days from those days” said he.
In his final remarks, on behalf of Dr. Küçük Foundation and his family, Mehmet Küçük extended his appreciations to those who contributed to the exhibition and commemorated Dr. Fazıl Küçük with respect, mercy and gratitude.
President Mustafa Akıncı: Near East University is fulfilling an important mission to honor the Memory of Dr. Fazıl Küçük..."
In his opening remarks at the exhibition themed on "Dr. Fazıl Küçük and National Struggle", TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı stated that they were commemorating Dr. Fazıl Küçük with respect, mercy and gratitude on the 35th anniversary of his death. He underlined that they would continue to commemorate such a person who devoted his life to struggle for the principles that he believed in.
Stating that Near East University had undertaken the duty of honoring the memory of Dr. Fazıl Küçük by organizing the exhibition devoted to Dr. Fazıl Küçük, President Akıncı congratulated Near East University Administration for having such a mission. Expressing that Dr. Küçük always expressed his opinions fearlessly with his powerful pen by prioritizing the community issues, President Akıncı underlined that Dr. Fazıl Küçük was a person who was always on the side of his people and never raised himself above the society.
“He had been working devotedly for his people when he was at the official duty. When he was not on duty, he was among the people, chatting and joking with them. Although he sometimes experienced some disputes with the Founding President Denktaş, he managed to agree with him on social togetherness and he was a leader showing the ability to overcome the political resentments” noted he. Stating that Dr. Küçük hadn't wanted to take the chair reserved for him at the Turkish Cypriot Federal State established in 1975, President Akıncı highlighted that they missed Dr. Küçük, who was not only a leader but also a physician providing needy people with free healthcare services.
Stating that they would continue to commemorate Dr. Fazıl Küçük, who was a kind person, struggled for the principles that he believed in, with respect and gratitude, President Akıncı ended his remarks by congratulating Near East University for devoting the exhibition to Dr. Fazıl Küçük to honor his memory. “May he rest in peace” said he.
