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June 3, 1995
Dedeman Istanbul Hotel
Nazire Dedeman
Founder President of Umut Foundation
Speech Text
Honorary Protector
Dear Children,
In a society where rule of law is adopted, individuals see law, the judicial mechanism and rights not only as an organization that defines crime and penalty, but as a frame lighting the way for development and humane living. Activating the system this way is possible by allowing the concepts law and state of law to enter our lives, because law and rights become concrete with the activities of citizens who demand them and show efforts for this purpose.
Individuals who are strangers to this concept and such mechanisms may easily lose their faith in justice and turn out to be individuals who give credit for brute force. In that case, introducing you, our children, the rule of law and making sure that you well adopt this concept must be a duty belonging to us, elder people, and our precious educators.
Life full of reconciliation and peace is an honorable life. And, this is a yearning which can be reached by means of adopting the principles of state of law. In societies where law is nonobjective or weak, brute force prevails and chaos arises. In such societies, it is impossible for individuals to sustain an honorable life. And, this conclusively leads to dishonorable individuals and dishonorable societies. We have to live honorably; therefore we must show efforts for the rule of law.
Honorable societies are those societies that respect law and that are able to protect the right to live humanely. Honor is the prestige balance of peace and the guiding compass of development, which never deviates from rights and freedom. And, we know that the human honor is synonymous with the adoption of state of law, protection of law and development of law.
We cannot expect from others the protection of our honor at personal, national and international levels. Brute force is disproportionate with the phenomenon of being a human. Here, the task belonging to individuals is to lay claim to law with honor and perform duties under their own responsibility. We have to takeover the load of the judicial system in our country. We should not see the rule of law as a concept under the possession of only jurists and the judicial system. We see it as a goal that each citizen internalizes and for which efforts are shown.
Existence of the state of law means freedom of the individual. It means that individuals under this umbrella are made free. Lack of rule of state is simply to live with the fear that such freedoms can be taken from our hands at any moment. And this results in the prolificacy of fear. Instead of staying getting afraid, we have to walk even if we are frightened.
We have to show efforts to turn clash which is a part and even itself of life, from a bad, corrosive and relations-harming social phenomenon into a positive, constructive and development-bringing process.
In this case, I believe this Foundation is the result of the fact that guns, in other words violence and its means are not useful in the settlement of disputes and that what must be stressed out and taught is peaceful methods based on this mentality. Our goal is to provide an honorable life in reconciliation and to forward it to future generations.
And, this is a yearning which can be reached by means of adopting the principles of state of law. In societies where law is nonobjective or weak, brute force prevails and chaos arises. In such societies, it is impossible for individuals to sustain an honorable life. And, this conclusively leads to dishonorable individuals and dishonorable societies.
Brute force is disproportionate with the phenomenon of being a human. We held ourselves liable for bringing our pain to the agenda with the irrecoverable wound we got and pronouncing peaceful methods with our scream.
While we raise our youngsters awareness on these issues, embracing them will be our honor and hope.
You pioneered and succeeded. I live the honor of being together with you, pioneers. I am sure that such initiatives will multiply through you; affirmativeness, constructiveness and peacefulness which all stand for hope will gain their new leaders carrying their flags at national and international levels.
I wish you make sure with hope that broader young masses are present in this summit and that you show efforts so that weekly lessons are scheduled as abstract education programs at schools and that you raise all youngsters awareness by means of education; and I also wish that you become leaders who put this hope into practice.
I embrace you all with love.
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