TİKA Landscapes Tomb of Ottoman Scholar Abu Bakr Effendi in Cape Town

The official opening of the walking trail and landscaping commissioned to be conducted by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in the Tana Baru Cemetery, where the tomb of Ottoman Islamic Scholar Abu Bakr Effendi is located, was held.

Turkish Ambassador to Pretoria Ayşegül Kandaş, Turkish Consul General to Cape Town Sinan Yeşildağ, TİKA's South Africa Coordinator Mükremin Çakır as well as the Tana Baru Trust members, descendants of Abu Bakr Effendi and Turkish citizens attended the opening ceremony.

Highlighting the historical importance of the Tana Baru Cemetery for Turkey and South Africa, Ambassador Kandaş said: "Along with the tomb of Abu Bakr Effendi, the tombs of South America's important historical and religious figures such as Tuan Guru and Tuan Said Aloewie are also located in this cemetery." Stating that TİKA has been working towards improving this 16-acre cemetery since 2013, Kandaş said: "Today, we are gathered here on the occasion of the opening of the trail construction and landscaping project of the Tana Baru Cemetery." Kandaş expressed that there will be more such projects that respect the Ottoman heritage in the future in Cape Town. Addressing the descendants of Abu Bakr Effendi, Kandaş said: "You are a gift of the great Ottoman heritage. To date, 40 members of the Abu Bakr Effendi's family have been granted Turkish citizenship by presidential decree."