In June of last year, the United Nations accepted to change the spelling of Turkey, as it is known in the English-speaking world, to Türkiye. This was done at the request of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration, as Turkish people have referred to their own country as Türkiye since it was established as a republic in 100 years ago.
Malta built diplomatic ties with Türkiye in 1967 shortly after achieving independence, and with a bilateral trade volume up to €1 billion, the two nations have remained firm in their partnership to this day. Thus, the Turkish Embassy in Malta and the Maltese Turkish Business Community have organised a dinner to celebrate the centennial of the founding of Türkiye as a republic.
The Turkish Ambassador to Malta, H.E. Erdeniz Şen, emphasised the strong relationship between Malta and Türkiye. “The Maltese people are making us feel at home. Our relations on every front are excellent,” he stated, noting how there is a prominent Turkish community in Malta with 8,000 Turkish citizens. Şen also referred to the support provided by the Maltese government and NGOs when a disastrous earthquake hit the country and took the lives of over 50,000 citizens in February this year. Malta had sent a team of 32 people and a dog to aid in recovering civilians stuck under the rubble.
For that reason, the celebration was held within the opulent walls of Palazzo Parisio. The guests, who were mostly Maltese and Turkish entrepreneurs, enjoyed a dinner that showcased the excellence of Türkiye’s cuisine. Maltese officials in attendance included Keith Azzopardi Tanti, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation and Chris Bonett, Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds.
Dinner was served by Ms. Ebru Baybara Demir, who is not only one of Türkiye’s foremost chefs, but also the winner of this year’s Basque Culinary World Prize, which is considered to be the Nobel Prize of gastronomy. In addition, following the earthquake disaster, she stepped in to organise kitchens that fed around 10,000 men, women and children without a roof over their heads on a daily basis.
Addressing attendeed, Ms. Baybara Demir remarked that there are “two things I love the most in my life: my country and cooking. The two are closely related – I use cooking to make an impact on people’s lives.”
Dr. Ezgi Harmanci, Managing Director, Harmanci & Partners, gushed praise on Demir. “As a woman and a chef, she stands as an inspiration to many around the globe, myself included. Since I discovered her in an interview a few years ago, I’ve been captivated by her passion, creativity, and commitment to making a positive impact. And for getting things done.”
Kurt Akin, CEO of Nutritional and Probiotic Supplement Company Next Microbiome, added: “Turkish cuisine is one of the most important and strong vehicles of our culture. Its immense variety reflects the abundance provided by mother Anatolia, Thracia and the Balkans. This evening we were all very lucky to enjoy the magic created by a real virtuoso of our cuisine. Ms. Baybara Demir has given us a delightful glimpse of what Turkish cuisine looks, smells and tastes like.”
H.E. Erdeniz Şen congratulated Ms. Baybara-Demir for her contributions to the field of social gastronomy. “I am so happy to be hosting Ms. Baybara Demir second time: first in Canada and now in Malta. Our celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Turkish republic will continue with other cultural events.”
