NEW YORK/ANKARA

Türkiye’s first lady Emine Erdogan, who also chairs the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste, has highlighted Anatolia's centuries-old cultural heritage and urged stronger international action to protect Gaza.

"Life in Anatolia is a roadmap that shows how sustainable development goals can be realized. Because the doors of Anatolia open to a fertility, accumulation, and skill based on thousands of years of experience," said Erdogan as she hosted the spouses of heads of state and government in New York for the 80th UN General Assembly at the Turkish House (Türkevi), as part of The Anatolians project under her auspices.

She and other first ladies from various states and governments toured an exhibition organized by the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology that showcased Anatolia's millennia-old knowledge, crafts, and cultural heritage combined with modern design.

The exhibition featured around 40 traditional fabrics, handmade carpets, filigree and kazaziye jewelry, ceramic samples, walnut chests, and hand-hammered copperware. Guests passed through themed doors labeled “Cycle,” “Continuity,” “Solidarity,” and “Mastery,” symbolizing Anatolia’s production culture.

‘Globalization throws local cultures into a melting pot’

In her speech, Erdogan said she was delighted to welcome guests on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and introduce them to Anatolia’s rich heritage.

"Every culture, every language, every religion comes together to form a magnificent human symphony. Yet globalization throws local cultures into a melting pot, leaving the world increasingly uniform, single-voiced, and single-colored."

She stressed that, while over 7,000 languages exist, half are predicted to disappear by the end of the 21st century. The death of a language, she said, signifies the death of a people’s culture, emotions, and worldviews.

Erdogan underlined that only 18% of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals have been achieved.

"As humanity, we seek a path that is fair, waste-resistant, values labor, embraces nature, and fosters peace. The solution is not far—it lies in our civilization’s roots. The wisdom of Anatolia is a roadmap for sustainable living," she said.

The first lady emphasized that Turkish cuisine itself embodies a zero-waste model and that practices such as ethical production, upcycling, sustainable fashion, natural materials, and supporting women’s labor have been preserved in Anatolia for centuries.

She urged spreading this spirit to war-torn regions like Gaza and Ukraine: "Let’s turn the wisdom of our civilizations into bridges of brotherhood connecting continents."

‘We must not allow Israel to erase pre-1945 Palestine’

The Turkish first lady stressed the importance of resisting historical erasure, saying: "We must not allow Israel to erase from our memory Palestine before 1945. On the contrary, we must preserve and teach this ancient history and culture. Against bombs, we must resist with pens, books, and memory."

She warned of Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe and said: "Do you know, children in Gaza fall asleep so hungry they never wake again? Nearly 19,000 children have been killed in just two years. Gaza has become a graveyard of children and a burial ground for the conscience of humanity."

She once again called on humanity to be Gaza’s voice, open humanitarian corridors, and strengthen international law. She welcomed the decision of many countries to recognize Palestine as a state, calling it “a historic turning point for peace and justice.”

Anatolia’s traditions ‘embody sustainability and cultural wisdom’

Erdogan said she was “truly delighted” to host world leaders’ spouses at an event in New York showcasing Anatolia’s cultural heritage, sustainable traditions, and craftsmanship.

In a message shared after the program, the Turkish first lady described the exhibition as a celebration of crops grown in Anatolia’s fertile soil, culinary wisdom passed down through generations, and the artistry of master craftsmen.

She said the initiative sought to bring Anatolia’s aesthetic vision, spirit of sustainable production, and reverence for nature to the global stage. Erdogan added that she hopes the gathering will serve as “a bridge between cultures, reinforcing brotherhood and humanity’s shared future.”