There are a lot of people that were meant for greatness in life, however, some had to learn to strive for greatness. But one thing for sure is that on the way to success, one will always acquire a give-and-receive lesson at the end of the day. From my perspective, there really is no criteria for greatness or being loved by others for what you do, everyone’s journeys are different and they are all particularly special. However, what we commonly share in achieving anything is culture, morals, values, and ethics.

“Culture is a national treasure for every society, a source of pride. Türkiye and China are the hosts of vast civilizations. This accumulation of civilization is not only historical data, but also life habits, philosophy, etc. It also covers intellectual domains. Turkish culture is not static, but is a dynamic set of values and cultural practices. It is a source of pride for us to be the heirs of this vast accumulation.” These were the words of Mr. Kurtulus Aykan — Consul General of Türkiye in Guangzhou himself during an in-depth talk with Outlook New Era Magazine in July, 2023, and it felt more like a conversation with a father. This is not just a feeling that one gets from mere words but his involvement in the well-being of people in general, his works throughout his times as a Consul General in China and other countries are impeccable. We also see the willingness and sacred nature of the relations formed during his time of service in Guangzhou China. He is not just loving at heart or relatable by nature but he is a man of excellence and rich experience.

The aurora of Türkiye

The world is an oyster for those who wish and intend to feed from it. It has a lot to offer and showcase, and with a wealthy exposure comes experience, and with experience comes a broadened spectrum of culture and all that comes with it. He was very intellectual as he impacted knowledge and shared wisdom of rendering services to both Turkish and Chinese people and in this, we got to understand that being in a leadership position takes so much more than experience and professional expertise to succeed. Staying in that position needs a certain level of relatability and connection to people of different backgrounds.

Being the inheritors of such a strong and established monument of Türkiye and with the country currently being the buzz of tourism and destination of numerous international tourists, famous for its delicacies and astonishing tour sites, when asked about the specialties and recommended local cuisines, Mr. Aykan stuttered for a moment because there is so much good food to choose from and he did not want to be biased, saying ‘This is one of the most difficult questions to ask to Turkish people. We have so many delicious dishes that if I name you one, I would be unfair to others. I think it is equally difficult for a Chinese to answer this question.’ Nonetheless, that did not stop him from sharing the most mouthwatering recipes of which several were his favorite dishes. To mention a few, tarhana soup and çılbır - poached eggs with garlic yogurt. As a fermented food, tarhana is very beneficial in health terms. And because it is so nutritious, it is one of the favorite soups in nearly every home, particularly during the cold winter months. Çılbır is one of the most interesting egg dishes that dates way back to Turkish cuisine. Mehmed the Conqueror used to enjoy this dish on his table. Today, it is considered an easily prepared lunch. There is also one famous thing in Türkiye that is very similar to the Chinese culture, and that is tea. With strong and aromatic flavours and scents, Turkish hot and cold beverages are not just delicacies but they are of best healthy and nutritional benefit to the human body. Mr. Aykan was so kind to share the benefits and processes of good Turkish coffee and the importance of filling and pumping the bodies with good food and not impurities that will deteriorate the health of the people over time.

The flavorful imaginations of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern infusions that Mr. Aykan was talking about tormented our tastebuds with intense hunger and cravings. Regardless of this, we still wanted to hear more as this conversation almost made us want to travel all the way to Türkiye just for food. Being the amazing leader that he is, he also shared with us moments that were both humorous and profound to him, where they were preparing mooncakes with a famous Cantonese chef and created unforgettable moments that he and his family will forever cherish.

Mr. Aykan described Türkiye to be one of the most distinguished countries in the world in terms of tourism opportunities. Where one can find a tourism activity that suits every taste and every expectation. Istanbul has an atmosphere of different civilizations, and the most blue flags in the world for swimming and skiing in the Mediterranean waters at Antalya seaside.He also mentioned Cappadocia where “one can hum the song ‘lang man da tu ar çi - romantic Türkiye’ while watching the sun rise in a hot balloon”. Tourism is not the only thing that Türkiye is currently thriving on, it is also one of the most beneficial and amazing places to invest in because it offers very good economy, exceptional labor, competitive workforce and good liberal investment environments and ecosystems.

Power, prominence, and priority

Whilst emphasizing the vitality of sociality and relatable influence in being a diplomat, Mr. Aykan mentioned the great importance of two countries working together towards a greater goal, which in his words was building a strong relationship that is genuine and reliable. Having stayed in China for over 4 years now, he assures a very strong relationship, or better yet, friendship between China and Türkiye. Bonded by several similarities regarding culture, growth and development, the friendship between the two countries was truly shown during the unforeseen natural disaster earthquake in Türkiye earlier on this year. The friendship from the voluntary group of the Blue-Sky Rescue Team was manifested when they soldiered on to help rescue casualties in Türkiye right at the peak of the earthquake. Such a selfless group of individuals that realized that life is much more important than the differences that we may have as human beings, before anything comes health and safety of everyone, especially those in a vulnerable situation.

 Touched by their assistance, Mr. Aykan graciously appreciated the group and was left in awe at how just a mere friendship can save the lives of many people who are not even in proximity. When they finished rescuing work a few months later, the two individuals and other people who offered a helping hand still gathered to celebrate the reign of Mr. Aykan as Consul General for such a long time and also as a friend whom they had been through a lot together with. They also gathered to bid their farewells to him and his beautiful, graceful and incomparable wife, Mrs. Tulu Icozu Aykan, who sincerely lives up to the honor of supporting, joining and respectfully standing by her significant other. Endlessly praising his wife, Mr. Aykan also values and appreciates the efforts that his wife makes for doing such an important job, not as a job but as a lifetime purpose. Mrs. Aykan is also a very established professional herself and makes it her life’s purpose to give back to nature the best way she knows how. As art is her form of communication she uses her talents of singing and diversified performances to reach to the hearts of people. With a very strong vocal dexterity, as a Turkish Mezzo-Soprano, Opera Singer and multi-disciplinary artist who is also working on social responsibility projects and organizing intercultural-dialogue projects, she has a wide range of Opera Repertoire from many different styles of masterpieces which has composed by world-famous composers from Baroque to contemporary pieces in 16 languages.

Marking the strength of the relations between the two countries, a Turkish forest was established in Guangzhou city in the Hai Zhu wetlands park in the Hai Zhu district and a collaboration with a library in the city of Guangzhou was initiated, where a Türkiye-themed shelf with more than 400 books in Guangzhou Library has been made available, providing books in Turkish, Chinese and English to Chinese students, academics and to all interested parties the opportunity to learn about Türkiye from primary sources.

The People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Türkiye, the two ancient civilizations connected by the Silk Road have established diplomatic relations for more than 50 years. In fact, 50 years is a very short time considering the deep-rooted history of both civilizations and thousands of years of interaction between China, the initiator of the Belt and Road, and Türkiye, the Middle Corridor on the Silk Road. “However, the momentum gained especially since 2010, when our relations reached the level of strategic cooperation is remarkable…” he said. This powerful statement creates a massive space for greater and more opportunities for the two nations to work together and achieve more in life. With China being the harbor of production, its growth and development is also an opportunity for the whole world. Given that this is the most populous country in the world and one of the largest production centres, while at the same time, it is one of the largest consumption centres. In this case, a growing and developing China is crucial to and for all world trade. Which also create opportunity for growth for other countries that cooperates with it.

Talking about “China Model”, Mr. Aykan specially noted that “One of the most impressive things I see in Chinese development is the importance given to the environment protection and public health during the economic growth. Chinese president Xi Jinping has a saying that I am sure is well known across the country and I think is very important: ‘clear waters and green mountains are as valuable as gold and silver mountains.’ It is important for the whole world to wish the continuation of the success of a growth model governed by this motto…” he added.

Equipped with all necessary tools of diplomacy, Mr. Aykan says that the many challenges and tribulations he might face or has faced are not really a problem because they make up the actual experience of being in this prestigious position and what makes the problems special is how you go about to deal with them, with love, respect, and uttermost professionalism.

Amongst the many things that he has done he did mention that being here in China has been of good influence and as the Consulate General of Türkiye in Guangzhou, “we strive to undertake all kinds of initiatives that will strengthen the relations and cooperation opportunities between our societies. The interest of the Chinese public in these projects continues to be our biggest source of motivation. Our aim is to reach more Chinese citizens and to communicate with them on a one-on-one principle. For example, let me proudly say that we are one of the most visited stands of the Maritime Silk Road Expo every year. We are always eager to show our country’s different beauties and values to our Chinese friends. On the other hand, as you might well know, our MIKTA community, which consists of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Türkiye and Australia, comes together with our Chinese friends in Guangzhou every year under the event called ‘MIKTA Food and Tourism Festival’ since last four years during my tenure in Guangzhou.” he added as he gladly shared his most prosperous and memorable moments of living in Guangzhou China.

It seems as if living in Guangzhou China for this long time has made him feel at home due to the events that have taken place throughout this entire time. Taking part in some of the cultural and traditional Chinese activities such as paddling in boats along the rivers during the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, attending events of different nature to further enhance his collection of friends, basically engaging in life as we all know it. He and his wife shared that they are collectors of friends and value spending time with people while also doing what he loves. Mr. Aykan mentioned that though this may be the end of his diplomacy reign, however, it is not his last time in China because this is indeed his home. This informative and delightful conversation was one that even continued long after the cameras were off. We were indulging and conversing with the amazing couple, Mr., and Mrs. Aykan about how music and nature are all about giving back. And this is truly what we see, live and experience on a daily basis and we see it in the lives of our leaders as they withstand massive hardships but still pull through and lead a whole nation. And with this article, we give back to the public and share an amazing experience with Mr. Aykan and his beloved.

(Outlook New Era)