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The ninth Turkish Cypriot Culture Festival was held in London, bringing together officials, community representatives and visitors for a day centered on the cultural values of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
The festival took place at Donkey Lane in north London and drew interest from Turkish Cypriots, Turkish residents, foreign visitors, civil society groups, sponsors and members of the press.
TRNC Prime Minister Unal Ustel attended the event alongside Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Environment Fikri Ataoglu.
Fazilet Ozdenefe, deputy speaker of the TRNC Assembly, Türkiye's Ambassador to London Osman Koray Ertas, TRNC London Representative Ambassador Aysan Mullahasan Atilgan, Türkiye's Consul General in London Ambassador Hasan Ulusoy and British lawmaker of Turkish origin Nesil Caliskan Konut were also among the participants.
Speaking at the festival, Prime Minister Ustel said a people are not held together only by land, but also by language, culture, historical values and shared ties.
He praised the Turkish Cypriot community in Britain for keeping up its connection with the TRNC despite living far from the island.
"Although you are thousands of kilometers away from our homeland, you have never separated your hearts from the TRNC. You have not given up your identity, your language, your flag or your homeland," Ustel said.
Ataoglu also expressed his satisfaction at taking part in the festival and thanked those who contributed to organizing the event.
The festival introduced visitors to elements of Turkish Cypriot culture through food, folk dances and community activities.
Guests were offered dishes associated with Cypriot cuisine, including seftali kebab, a traditional grilled specialty.
Folk dance performances and other cultural presentations also brought out the island's traditions throughout the day.
Stands set up at the venue showcased handicrafts and cultural products linked to the TRNC.
Visitors also had the chance to browse booths from companies active in sectors such as real estate, tourism, furniture, education and services in both the TRNC and the United Kingdom.
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