Istanbul Governor Gül: "Ahi tradition is the insurance of society"

As part of the 38th Ahi Week celebrations organized by the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Commerce, tradesmen gathered in Beyazıt Square. The events began with a prayer in Beyazıt Square. Then, accompanied by the Mehter March, the tradesmen and officials marched from Beyazıt Square to the Istanbul Governor's Office. The committee, consisting of tradesmen and officials, arrived at the Istanbul Governor's Office and visited Governor Davut Gül. Following the visit, a meeting was held at the Istanbul Governor's Office, where an Ahi tradition ceremony was held, and Governor Davut Gül was girded with a shed (tradesman's robe).

"It aims to keep the moral truths that exist in our tradition alive"

Speaking at the program, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül said, "I extend my gratitude to all our tradesmen who have carried Ahilik Week and the Ahilik tradition from centuries ago to the present day. I pray for God's mercy upon those who have passed away. I pray for good and abundant earnings for those who are alive. The Ahilik tradition is, in fact, the insurance of society. Whenever we talk to a tradesman about the Ahilik tradition, we are talking about a tradition that prioritizes the rights of its neighbors over its own, accepts the rights of its apprentices and those of its employees as its own. As we know, this tradition is written in labor law, in the commercial law between tradesmen, and has been passed down unwritten for centuries within our own civilization, from master to apprentice, from apprentice to apprentice. In fact, when you truly live and maintain Ahilik, we will not have to go to court in employer relationships. Dissatisfaction will not arise in customer-tradesman relationships. Disputes between tradesmen will disappear or decrease. In fact, it aims to keep those moral truths inherent in our tradition alive. Therefore, it is essentially a tradition that... "The awareness campaigns we're conducting during Ahilik Week are once again bringing this concept to the forefront of society's agenda. We're working with public officials to oversee how our tradespeople sell their products, how much they'll charge, and what rules they must adhere to when selling," he said.

Engin Türkmen, Deputy Chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Tradesmen and Craftsmen, said, "We remember with mercy and gratitude our great master and all the families and masters who followed in his footsteps, while sowing the seeds of brotherhood, honesty, and lawful earnings. I also extend my greetings to all our living tradesmen and craftsmen. Dear friends of the Ahi order, the Ahi order is not merely a professional organization. Ahi order means having an open heart and an open mind. It means being fair in measurement and weight. It means integrating art with morality. I wholeheartedly congratulate our master Mustafa Şimşek, who was elected Ahi of the province with his knowledge and experience, who has never deviated from these principles throughout his career, and the journeyman and apprentice youth of the province, who are the foundation of our future. On this occasion, I would like to express my gratitude in your presence to the Governor of Istanbul, Mr. Davut Gül, who has protected our Ahi tradition and enabled us to realize this beautiful program under his patronage. Ahi order, which has ensured the adoption of this ancient culture as a state policy, I would also like to express my gratitude to our President, who spearheaded the celebration of Ahilik Week with great enthusiasm not only in Istanbul but throughout Türkiye. I would also like to convey the greetings and affection of Mr. Faik Yılmaz, President of the Istanbul Chamber of Tradesmen and Craftsmen. Although he is not with us today, he is with us in his heart and prayers. We will continue to uphold this value, to practice honest trade and serve the public good, in our workshops and stalls in every neighborhood of Istanbul. With these sentiments, I respectfully greet you all and congratulate you on Ahilik Week, the holiday of our tradesmen and craftsmen."

UAV

Reporter: News Center