- Carriage travelers say they are happy to see peace efforts succeed in Gaza, and their mission for peace aligns with new hopes

KONYA, Türkiye / ISTANBUL

Members of the Germany-based association Friedensglocken (Bells of Peace) have reached the Ilgin district of Konya in Türkiye on their 2,982-mile (4,800-kilometer) peace journey by horse-drawn carriage, launched to draw attention to global peace.

Carrying a sign that reads “Jagt dem Frieden nach mit jedermann” (Pursue peace with everyone), the team of Heinz Bley, Friedrich Gerenche, and Abdulla Haci, a German citizen of Azerbaijani origin, aims to spread messages of peace and friendship across different cultures.

The group set out from Germany and traveled through Austria, Hungary, Serbia, and Bulgaria before entering Türkiye via the Kapikule Border Gate.

On the Turkish leg of their journey, they followed the route through Edirne, Istanbul, Ankara, and Konya, staying in the districts of Aksehir and Ilgin.

Bley, Gerenche, and Haci appreciated the warm welcome and hospitality they received along their journey. The ultimate goal is to reach Jerusalem.

-'World needs peace'

Speaking to Anadolu, Bley said he had been following the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt during their journey.

Regarding the ceasefire that recently took effect in Gaza, he said: “We are very happy that peace has finally been achieved and an agreement has been signed. This is exactly why we embarked on this journey -- to follow the path of peace. I believe all Germans feel the same way.

“The world needs peace. In Europe, everyone understands peace now, and life continues together in harmony. Our goal is to reach Jerusalem by Jan. 25.”

Friedrich Gerenche described the journey as an inspiring experience by saying: “We set out from Berlin on May 8, marking the 80th anniversary of Germany’s defeat in World War II. Our aim was to bring peace to people and draw attention to the devastation caused by wars.

“We’ve seen beautiful places and met wonderful people who offered us food and hospitality. Their kindness has been overwhelming. We love Türkiye and are very grateful.”

Haci noted that some other members of their association were following a different route by sea through Greece. He said: “The three of us decided to stay on this route through Türkiye, and we’ve come this far with our carriage. We travel about 30 to 40 kilometers a day -- that’s the horses’ capacity. Along the way, we’ve met many people in villages and cities.

“As an Azerbaijani Turk, I was already familiar with this region, but I’ve fallen in love with it all over again. We love Türkiye. We stay in touch with the other team, and they jokingly say they’re jealous because we’re cheerful, organized, and moving quickly.”

The three peace activists continued their journey through Konya after departing from Ilgin, as they pressed on toward their final destination -- Jerusalem.