Ashraf AboArafe
The Embassy of Turkey in Cairo marked 2025 as the Year of the Family in Turkey with a heartfelt event dedicated to supporting Palestinian families affected by war.
Home to more than 85 million people, Turkey stands out with its youthful demographics and diverse social fabric. In recent years, it has adopted policies to slow population growth while encouraging healthy, sustainable marriages, aiming for at least three children per family. Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey has launched extensive social, economic, and educational support programs to strengthen the institution of the family and ensure its prosperity.
The declaration of 2025 as the Year of the Family reflects Turkey’s resolve to protect the family unit from modern threats, safeguard its well-being, and elevate public awareness of its value. Turkey and Egypt share common views on protecting and defining the family at both national and international levels.
Given the declining fertility rate in Turkey—contrasting with Egypt’s population growth—Ankara has introduced effective measures to raise fertility rates, including financial and social support for mothers, as well as housing policies similar to those in Egypt. Defending the family against social challenges emerging in Western societies has also become a cornerstone of Turkish policy.
Parallel to Egypt, Turkey extends humanitarian and social aid to families displaced and devastated by the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, channeled through the Turkish Red Crescent and related institutions. Turkish society places great importance on supporting Palestinian families and children, whether through official relief organizations or civil society initiatives, often in cooperation with Egypt. The Ministry of Family and Social Services also provides psychological and social assistance to Gazans receiving medical treatment in Turkey.
Within this framework, and in celebration of the Year of the Family 2025, the Turkish Embassy in Cairo hosted a special gathering on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. The event offered financial and social support to Palestinian families currently residing in Egypt, who face economic hardship and psychological strain due to the war.
The ceremony was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Cairo Salih Mutlu Şen and Palestinian Ambassador Diab Al-Louh. The program featured a recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Tarek Abdel Baset Abdel Samad, son of the legendary Sheikh Abdel Baset Abdel Samad, and a voluntary musical performance by Egyptian singer Mostafa Amar.
In his speech, Ambassador Şen emphasized that the initiative was held under the guidance of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and with the support of Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir. He highlighted the dire plight of Palestinian families, noting that almost every family in Gaza has lost a relative to martyrdom, suffered injuries, or been torn apart, facing grave economic and human challenges.
Ambassador Şen affirmed that Turkey and Egypt, as nations deeply committed to this cause, will continue to provide every form of assistance. He stressed that while the eventual return of Palestinian families to their homeland is inevitable once a ceasefire is reached and reconstruction begins under Egypt’s plan, the road ahead will be difficult and painful. Thus, he called on the entire Arab and Islamic world to extend both material and moral support.
Palestinian families expressed heartfelt gratitude to Turkey, President Erdoğan, Minister Özdemir, and Ambassador Şen for their compassion and solidarity. Ambassador Diab Al-Louh praised Turkey’s role, alongside Egypt, as one of the leading nations providing aid to Gaza, affirming the commitment to continued close cooperation in supporting the Palestinian people.
