First Lady Emine Erdoğan is in Kyrgyzstan

First Lady Emine Erdoğan visited the Kyrgyz-Turkish Friendship Hospital in Bishkek that was built by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and she inaugurated the Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Chinghiz Aitmatov Cultural Center.

Accompanying President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s trip to Kyrgyzstan, First Lady Emine Erdoğan visited the Kyrgyz-Turkish Friendship Hospital in Bishkek, which was built and equipped with the necessary medical devices by TİKA. First Lady Erdoğan was accompanied by Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov’s wife, Kyrgyz First Lady Aigul Jeenbekova, the wives of the ministers in the Turkish delegation, some Kyrgyz Ministers and TİKA officials.

First Lady Erdoğan was informed by the officials regarding the equipment of the hospital and inspected some of the units of the hospital where advanced diagnosis and treatment services will be provided.

Posing for pictures with the hospital officials, First Lady Emine Erdoğan offered her best wishes to any patients who will be admitted to this hospital which will be an asset for the friendship between Kyrgyzstan and Turkey.

The hospital, which was decided to be built during President Erdoğan’s visit to Kyrgyzstan in 2013 while he was still serving as Prime Minister, will enter into service very soon. Kyrgyz-Turkish Friendship Hospital in Bishkek is going to serve with an indoor area of 12,000 square meters. 51 bed-capacity hospital is going to offer advanced diagnosis and treatment services on cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, general surgery, pulmonary diseases, anesthesia and reanimation, invasive radiology, and gastroenterology.  The hospital has laboratories, 2 operating rooms, 3 intensive care units as well as units for angiography and imaging.

“When we add the works of Chinghiz Aitmatov in the National Library as well as the thousands of books dedicated to his name, this place has really become worthy of his name”

In the second day of her trip, First Lady Erdoğan inaugurated the Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Chinghiz Aitmatov Cultural Center at the National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic. The National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic serves 50,000 people in an area of 20,000 sq meters with over 6 million books in 90 different languages.  It cooperates with 40 libraries from all around the world including the National Libraries of Turkey, Iran, France, Japan, Russia, etc.

During the inauguration ceremony of the Chinghiz Aitmatov Cultural Center, First Lady Emine Erdoğan expressed her happiness about the fact that Turkey contributed to science and knowledge by opening this division in this well-established institution with an 84-year-old history.

First Lady Erdoğan stated that this hall, which was repaired and renovated through TİKA in coordination with the embassy, is going to be a center of knowledge that strengthens the friendship between Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. In 2006 TİKA also established a “Turkish Works Section” within the National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Explaining that a 60 square meters Turkish Works Section was opened previously in 2006 in the National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic and filled with important Turkish works, the First Lady said, “Now, we are proud and honored to open a new division in the National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic, that is not just a library but can be used as a cultural center as well.”

Pointing out her happiness about bringing important works from Turkey on culture, arts, science, tourism, and healthcare and offering them to the Kyrgyz researchers, students, and readers, First Lady Erdoğan continued:

“When we add the works of Chinghiz Aitmatov in the National Library as well as the thousands of books dedicated to his name, this place has really become worthy of his name. I am also extremely happy that our children were also considered for this library. Our young readers will get the chance to read their books and do their homework in this healthy and secure environment alongside their parents.”

“A Gift from Turkey to the People of Kyrgyzstan”

First Lady Emine Erdoğan also cited that one of the greatest aspects of this newly inaugurated center was its namesake, the great man of letters and thinker Chinghiz Aitmatov.

She stated that this cultural center was dedicated to the memory of Aitmatov in the 90th anniversary of his birthday as a Gift from Turkey to the People of Kyrgyzstan, and said, “I would like to use this opportunity to commemorate the deceased with great respect. For granting us one of the most beautiful and most spacious sections of the library, I thank the Kyrgyz Republic, Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Directorate of the National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic on behalf of my country. I congratulate all those who have worked for this.”

First Lady Erdoğan also offered her gratitude to the Kyrgyz State and people for their outstanding hospitality and wished for continued and improved friendship between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan.

R.T. Ministry of Culture and Tourism also donated 7000 works to the Turkish Works Section, which was established by TİKA, consisting of works on Turkish history, literature, art, scientific resources and encyclopedias.