Legendary Turkish poet commemorated at awards

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended a literary award ceremony Friday in Istanbul in memory of Turkish poet and philosopher Necip Fazıl Kısakürek.

Necip Fazıl was a poet, novelist and activist who contributed to Islamic thought in Turkey. He died in 1983.

Speaking at the Necip Fazil Kısakürek Awards for Literature and Research, Erdoğan said it was not easy to win an award that carries the name of Necip Fazıl.

Erdoğan congratulated Prof. Dr. Teoman Duralı who was awarded the Prestige Award, Ahmet Murat who was awarded in the poetry category, Necip Tosun in the story-novel category, Ahmet Özalp in the opinion-research category, Betül Nurata and Emre Ergen in first work of art category, and Bosnian Cemalettin Latic in the international award category.

Erdoğan praised Kısakurek and said he had devoted his life to the "great Turkey" ideal.

He said his government had been working to realize the revolution which Necip Fazıl waited for his whole life.

"If we are exposed to constant attacks from inside and outside today, if we are dealing with defamation… the reason is that we do not give up on our fight."