Minister of National Education Nabi Avcı pointed out that the Dost Eli Assistance Education and Culture Foundation had contributed much to the starting of the construction of the Hacı Bektaş Veli Anatolian High School and said he is very happy to be amidst the friends of the Ehli Beyt (followers of the House of Muhammad).

School with 16 classes will be home to 600 students

Minister Avcı stating that they are gathered here to lay the foundations of the Hacı Bektaş Veli Anatolian High School and added “the school will be built on a 60 thousand square meters land earmarked for educational purposes and will host students from the Balkans, Central Asia, Middle East and various provinces of Turkey. The facility will have a cemevi (cultural religious center of Alawites), social buildings,  a 300-student capacity dormitory with 16 classrooms and will host 600 students.”

Contents of education will be prepared with the contributions of Alawite and Bektashi religious men and academicians

Saying the lessons will be taught by Alevi and Bektashi teachers and academicians Minister Avcı added “contents of education program will be prepared with the contributions of Alawite and Bektashi dedes (religious clerics) and academicians and the Dost Eli Assistance Education and Culture Foundation will be active both in the educational program and the running of the school.

Minister Avcı said the Hacı Bektaş Veli Anatolian High School is an important step both for national education and the social culture of the country went on to say “I believe wholeheartedly that this first strong step we are taking together will be followed by many more steps.”

A dream is coming true

Saying he feels great happiness to be present at the foundation laying ceremony Minister Avcı said “this school was like a dream, a legacy for us when we were university students, because dream and legacy our dear elder brother Fethi Gemuhluoğlu who first mentioned the need for such a school is being fulfilled. I thank you for it.

The minister thanked the Dost Eli Assistance Education and Culture Foundation board of directors and everyone involved in the project for helping the Hacı Bektaş Veli Anatolian High School become a reality.

After the speech of the minister the Dede of the Pendik Seyit Seyfi Cemevi Musa Küçük made a prayer

Dede Musa Küçük: “First time in history a flower, a rose is blossoming”

Dede Musa Küçük started his prayer saying “May Allah’s compassion and blessings be upon all of you” and then talked about the foundation of the Pendik Seyit Seyfi Cemevi (religious center) saying:

“One day İzzettin Doğan Dede came along with the honorable Ahmet Rasim to our community. They asked me why I was building this cemevi. I told them that I could perform by prayers and worship at home but that the streets are pushing young people to evil and I was building this facility to keep the young people off the streets.”

Küçük went on to thank the state officials and the government “I thank them deeply for giving us this opportunity, may Allah bless them all. For the first time in history a flower, a rose is blooming. I want to see thousands of roses blooming.”

Dede Küçük: “Our religion is Islam, our book is the Quran”

“We feel deep affection for those in the House of Muhammad and we follow his path. Our religion is Islam and our book in the Quran. Our prophet is Prophet Muhammad. Our path is the path of the followers of the House of Muhammad” said Dede Küçük and then made the following prayer:

“Ohh the Almighty we have spread our hands and are praying. Please accept our prayers. Please dear Almighty help us to see the truth and help to show the people of the Republic of Turkey the truth. May we listen to the messages of the Lord. Help our souls to be won over by affection, respect, compassion, righteousness and good morals. Let our feet walk on the true path.  Give peace and tranquility to our country, to our nation, protect us from the malice of the oppressor, protect us from the swears of the unbelievers, save us from the malice of the Satan, protect us from the accusations of the oppressed. Dear Allah, protect our state, our nation, our government and our people. Dear Allah grant us a blessed life and blessed achievements. Dear Almighty bless our school whose foundations have been laid. Dear Almighty protect us, our community and Turkey from evil. Dear Almighty may the schools of the followers of the House of Muhammad prevail.

Later Minister Avcı and Foundation Chairperson Sakine Tükek as well as those in the protocol jointly pressed the button and laid the foundations of the school.

Minister Avcı wishes success to students participating in the university entrance exams

After the ceremony Minister Avcı replied to questions by journalists. Asked by a journalist “will the school train Alevi dedes, if so how will this be done?” the Minister replied “the titles like ‘dede’ are not titles you by earning a diploma. These come with traditions. The officials of the foundation that are helping to build this school know this very well.”

Asked by a journalist “how will the students for this school be selected?” Minister Avcı said “they will come from the Alevi monasteries (dergah). We have a rich Alevi-Bektashi accumulation in Rumelia. We are prepared to work with all foundations like the Dost Foundation. This became a reality with the application of the foundation but we also had attached great importance to the subject.”  

Minister Avcı appeals: Please do not make noise

Asked by a journalist if he has any message to the students who will be taking the university entrance exams on Sunday the minister said “I wish success to the students taking the exam. I request our drivers and all other citizens to be as quiet as possible, not to be involved in activities that could create noise.”