Famagusta Mayor İsmail Arter and EVKAF General Manager İbrahim Benter held a meeting in Famagusta Municipality today and evaluated the situation of EVKAF properties in Covered Maraş.

Famagusta Mayor İsmail Arter and Cyprus Foundations Administration General Manager İbrahim Benter held a meeting in Famagusta Municipality today and talked about the status of EVKAF properties in Covered Maraş.

Famagusta Mayor İsmail Arter, in his speech, General Manager of Foundations Administration Prof. Dr. He said that he was pleased to see İbrahim Benter in Famagusta, that they would get information about the works of the Foundations Administration in our country by having a face-to-face meeting with Benter, with whom he often spoke on the phone, and that they would have the opportunity to consult with the Municipality about their work.

Stating that the historical works of the Foundations Administration in our country should be known in detail by our people, President Arter said, "It is thought that the foundations administration's discourse on foundations foundation goods is related to the Maraş expansion and it has emerged now, this is not the case, what duties of the Foundations Administration over the years. I think that our society should be made aware of the issue. Otherwise, foundation goods did not become an issue that came to the fore only with the opening of Maraş.” said.

He stated that especially our young people should know which institutions and organizations in the country are assigned with what, and that this meeting is an opportunity to talk about these issues.

Cyprus Foundations Administration General Director Prof. Dr. İbrahim Benter, on the other hand, stated that this year marks the 450th anniversary of the conquest of Cyprus and the establishment of the Foundations Administration, and stated that these are important dates from which we can learn good lessons.

Stating that there are lessons to be learned from the subject of closed Maraş in Famagusta, Lala Mustafa Pasha, the commander who conquered Cyprus, bought and donated many lands, including Covered Maraş, with his own money, and said, “What was the lesson here? At the head of a very strong army, he has already won the war, if he wants to, he will take over, who can oppose? However, the documents we have show that Lala Mustafa Pasha paid with his own money, bought it from private individuals and donated it.” said.

Noting that donating a property means using it for the benefit of people forever, Benter said that Lala Mustafa Pasha donated such places for many charitable works such as poor children's education, building schools, paying teachers' salaries, constructing mosques, paying the salaries of officials, and building a hospital health center. told. Noting that Lala Mustafa Pasha did not usurp anyone's property despite his power, and that he did not selfishly leave the goods to his children, İbrahim Benter expressed that while celebrating the 450th anniversary of the conquest of Cyprus, we should learn from such events and be good people who are selfless, helpful and in solidarity. he did.

prof. Dr. Benter said, "When our ancestors were dedicating these properties, they did not say, 'rent these properties and teach poor Turkish children with it', they said 'make poor children study'. It may be Turkish, it may be Greek, it may be Armenian, it may be Maronite, it may be English.” He also noted that not making a distinction between religion and nationality 450 years ago was a lesson.

Stating that such beautiful values ​​should be talked about, not the war 450 years ago, and that before the Ottomans came here, the Greeks and Armenians did not have freedom of worship, Benter said, “Catholics do not recognize any religion other than the Catholic religion. When the Ottoman Empire came here 450 years ago, everyone, including Greeks, Armenians and Turks, gained their freedom. Greeks and Armenians gained the freedom to build their own church for the first time during the Ottoman period. Therefore, the Greeks should also celebrate the 450th anniversary. Because they were saved from persecution thanks to the Ottomans,” he said.

prof. Dr. İbrahim Benter, wishing for the closed Maraş to return to its essence, said that the essence of Maraş is foundation land and that it should be used for the benefit of the society, not for a few people to become richer by building a hotel.