As the emissary for the International Institute for Peaceful Tourism’s Peace Park Project I had the opportunity to meet the mayor of Sanliurfa, Dr. Fakibaba, when I attended the tree planting ceremony commemorating the new park and to encourage community involvement in the environment.
It was an honor and a privilege to spend time after the ceremony in his office over Turkish coffee and delicious baklava. I spoke with the forward thinking mayor of his vision for the future for his beloved 4,000 year old city and the important role it has played throughout the centuries to Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Earlier, when entering the city from the west where there was once arid desert it now blooms with cotton fields spreading to the horizon bringing much needed resources for the Turks, Kurds and Arabs families that make up Sanliurfa’s colorful population.
It was an honor and a privilege to spend time after the ceremony in his office over Turkish coffee and delicious baklava. I spoke with the forward thinking mayor of his vision for the future for his beloved 4,000 year old city and the important role it has played throughout the centuries to Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Earlier, when entering the city from the west where there was once arid desert it now blooms with cotton fields spreading to the horizon bringing much needed resources for the Turks, Kurds and Arabs families that make up Sanliurfa’s colorful population.
