We must be voice of silenced, serve justice — Türkiye's Altun

Turkish Head of Communications Fahrettin Altun has emphasised Türkiye's position as a stabilising power during "TRT World Citizen Awards" ceremony in Istanbul.

In his speech on Friday, Altun described the TRT World Citizen initiative as a valuable effort aimed at institutionalising goodness in an era where evil has become commonplace.

He stressed the importance of this initiative in countering the normalisation of wrongdoing in today's world.

Altun referred to the concept of "the banality of evil," formulated during the Nazi era to describe war crimes, noting that it remains relevant today.

"Today, this term is used to describe the crimes committed by Israel in Palestine, its policies of genocide, and the silence of many Western governments and the global community," Altun highlighted.

"Despite the genocide in Palestine unfolding before the world's eyes and wounding humanity's conscience, this evil has been trivialised and normalised by the international system."

'Evil has been normalised'

He stressed that the international system has lost its sense of responsibility and that "evil has been normalised through a chain of command, becoming embedded in the political system."

Moreover, he underscored the global injustices, colonial policies, genocides, human rights violations, and ecological devastation plaguing today's world.

He called for an unwavering commitment to fight not only the evils themselves but also their normalisation.

'Battle between truth and falsehood'

Altun highlighted how history has often been portrayed as a struggle between good and evil, noting that in Islamic teachings, this is reflected in the battle between truth and falsehood.

He explained that Islamic teachings interpret history as a constant struggle between truth and falsehood, emphasising hope and proclaiming, "Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished."

"Media is a domain for the fight for goodness, truth, and justice," he added.

Altun argued that the current media system generates systematic evil, which leads to a crisis of truth. Therefore, media must be a domain where goodness, truth, and justice are fought for.

"First and foremost, we must transform the media into a domain of authentic knowledge rather than distorted information," stated Fahrettin Altun, highlighting the critical need for media reform.

"We must also strive for fairer representation in the media, give a voice to the voiceless, highlight those rendered invisible, and serve justice. This requires a fight for truth."

TRT's vision

Praising Türkiye's public broadcaster TRT, "I believe TRT strives to make media a space for undistorted, authentic knowledge," he said.

"Furthermore, it works to make representation in the media more equitable and demonstrates how media can serve as a tool for spreading goodness. For six years, the TRT World Citizen Awards have exemplified this mission."

Altun underscored the importance of fostering a media landscape that serves the collective good.

Altun explained that TRT's initiative aims to draw attention to issues such as Israel's oppression and genocide in Palestine and Gaza, Islamophobia, human rights and the strengthening of education systems.

He underlined that this effort seeks to raise global awareness in these areas.

"Today, awards are being presented to five brave individuals who boldly oppose injustices, inequalities, and oppression worldwide. There is also a special TRT award," Altun said.

Türkiye's fight for justice and truth

Altun stressed that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Türkiye has been waging a visible struggle for justice and truth on the global stage.

"Engaging in this struggle and standing on the right side for humanity requires real courage and determination," he said, emphasising the pivotal role of leadership.

"Over the past 23 years, Türkiye has faced significant challenges and has emerged as a regional power, a respected authority, and a global player on the international political stage," Altun said.

He highlighted that Türkiye's influence extends far beyond its borders, impacting crisis zones and global issues.

"Türkiye is no longer a country confined within its borders, struggling to manage the injustices caused by global inequities," he said.

"Instead, it is a stabilising force that consolidates its internal unity and exports stability to its region and the global arena. President Erdogan's leadership has been instrumental in this regard," he added.