Turkish Ambassador to Egypt Salih Mutlu Şen and his wife welcome Director-General of UNESCO Khaled El-Anany
Held at the ambassador’s residence, the event drew more than a thousand guests, including senior Egyptian officials, foreign diplomats, artists and public figures. Among those attending were the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Khaled El-Anany, Labour Minister Mohamed Gibran, actor Mahmoud Hemeida and businessman Mohamed Abou El-Enein.
Palestinian youth activist Malak Abu Ziyad was also present, thanking both Egypt and Turkey for their efforts to support the people of Gaza. An Egyptian musical ensemble performed the national anthems of both countries, followed by traditional Turkish and Egyptian pieces.
In his address, Turkish Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen said this year’s Republic Day “carries special significance,” as 2025 marks a century of diplomatic relations between the two nations. He noted that under Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, bilateral ties had deepened across trade, tourism, culture and the arts.
Minister of Labor Mohamed Gibran and Turkish Ambassador to Egypt Salih Mutlu Şen cut the cake of the 102nd National Day celebration
Şen announced a year-long programme of cultural events to mark the centenary, including a traditional Turkish wedding fashion show on 19 November whose proceeds will go to the Egyptian Red Crescent for Gaza relief. A musical evening at the ambassador’s residence is scheduled for 3 November, followed by a grand concert at the Cairo Opera House on 5 November featuring Turkish pianist Rüya Taner and Egyptian soprano Amira Ahmed.
Other planned events include an Arabic calligraphy exhibition on Egypt and Turkey at the Egyptian Geographical Society, as well as a caricature exhibition on Gaza.
The ambassador highlighted the rapid pace of high-level political engagement, noting that President Erdoğan has visited Egypt three times in the past 18 months, while President El-Sisi travelled to Turkey in 2024 for the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. The next session, Şen said, is expected in early 2026, when Erdoğan is expected to return to Cairo.
Reaffirming Ankara’s commitment to “peace at home, peace in the world,” Şen said Turkey supports stability and cooperation in the Middle East and stands ready to work closely with Egypt to rebuild Gaza. He cited the recent Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace, where the Gaza Agreement was signed by Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Turkey, as an example of that partnership.
Şen confirmed Turkey’s participation in the upcoming Gaza Reconstruction Conference in Cairo, pledging active contributions to its success.
Palestinian youth activist Malak Abu Ziyad (photo credit of Turkey embassy)
He also congratulated El-Anany on his election as UNESCO Director-General, saying he would serve “as a representative of Africa, the Arab world and the Mediterranean nations.”
Reflecting on his country’s progress, the ambassador said Turkey had achieved “remarkable development” in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and industry during its 102 years as a republic, particularly over the past two decades. These achievements, he added, have created new opportunities for cooperation between Egypt and Turkey—two nations “bound by more than a millennium of shared history across the Mediterranean.”
Şen closed his speech with a message of solidarity: “Long live Turkey, long live Egypt, long live Palestine.”
Egyptian musical ensemble performed the national anthems of both countries (photo credit of the Turkish embassy)
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