President Ersin Tatar, President of the National Assembly Zorlu Töre, Rector of Istanbul University Prof. Dr. Osman Bülent Zülfikar, İnönü University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kızılay and Bingöl University Rector Prof. Dr. İbrahim Çapak attended the “Fasting and Health” panel which was held with intense participation at the Near East University, which hosts the public on its campus with many events, especially the iftar dinners held at the Suat Günsel Mosque.

Many academics and students showed great interest in the panel, which was organized by the Near East University Faculty of Theology and was open to the public free of charge.

The panel discussed the contributions of fasting to mental and physical health, and also shared information on how to protect health through proper nutrition during iftar and sahur.

In the panel moderated by Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, Istanbul University Rector Prof. Dr. Osman Bülent Zülfikar spoke on “Fasting and Health”, İnönü University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kızılay made a presentation on “The Effect of Fasting on Healthy Life”, and Bingöl University Rector Prof. Dr. İbrahim Çapak discussed the topics of “Fasting and Mental Health”.

The opening speech of the panel held at Near East University İrfan Günsel Congress Center was made by Near East University Faculty of Theology Dean Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez. President Ersin Tatar and President of the National Assembly Zorlu Töre, who followed the panel, also addressed the participants before the panel.

President Tatar: “The Turkish Cypriot people have continued to worship as a part of the Islamic world with their customs, traditions and have come to this day.”

Speaking at the opening of the panel, President Ersin Tatar expressed his gratitude to the university rectors from Turkey, stating that the Turkish Cypriot People have always been an integral part of the Turkish Nation in their struggle with their own language, religion and culture.

President Tatar said “After the British period in Cyprus, which has been a Turkish island for 350 years without interruption in history, Turkish Cypriots were left alone on the island for about a century. Despite this, these people continued their worship, never forgetting their own religion, nationalism and spirituality. In those difficult years, the Turkish Cypriot people continued to worship as a part of the Islamic world with their customs, traditions and came to this day.”

Stating that today, as a modern society, places of worship and mosques in the country still attach importance to these areas, President Tatar said, “As the Turkish Cypriot People, we still attach importance to our religious belief. Some of us fulfill our worship, even if it is less, some of us more. What is important is the existence of this state and your support for us.”

Zorlu Töre: “If you have no spirituality, you are like a living corpse.”

Stating that spirituality always gives people a different power and energy and raises their moral values, President of the National Assembly of the Republic, Zorlu Töre, said: “If you do not have spirituality, you are like a living corpse. We should undoubtedly experience our spirituality in the most beautiful month of Ramadan.” In the opening speech of the panel, National Assembly President Töre stated that he has always had a special love and sympathy for faithful and believing individuals. He stated that this is a culture that comes from family structure. Töre also said; “When I was a child, my late mother and father would wash us, recite the word of testimony three times, and dress us in clean clothes. During the holidays, we would repair our shoes and dress in new clothes. Ramadan is a very sacred month for us.” At the end of his speech, Parliament Speaker Zorlu Töre emphasized that the feelings of kindness and solidarity increased during Ramadan.

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez: “The panel gave us an important perspective on fasting, both spiritually and physically.”

The opening speech of the panel was made by Near East University Faculty of Theology Dean Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez. Prof. Dr. Söylemez stated that this panel was held in order to contribute to the knowledge of Muslim individuals about fasting. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez said, “We would like to thank our teachers for their contributions to enlightening us about the spiritual aspects and physical effects of fasting.” Stating that they had the opportunity to hear from experts about the effects of fasting on the physical body, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez said, “Getting information from our teachers in the fields of medicine and theology on how we can eat without putting too much pressure on our bodies, especially at iftar, gave us an important perspective both spiritually and physically.”

Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, who moderated the panel, thanked everyone who contributed to the panel, especially the Dean of the Faculty of Theology, faculty staff and students. Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “I would also like to express our gratitude to the Rectors of Istanbul University, İnönü University and Bingöl University who gave their time to us.”