Ambassador of Turkey to India Firat Sunel graces Shillong Literary Fest on closing day
Sunel, who is also an author, shared his personal experiences about his book 'The Lighthouse Family' at the event.
Shillong, Nov 21: The three-day Shillong Literary Festival 2024 wrapped up in the city on Wednesday, leaving a lasting impression on literature lovers and writers from all over the country. Ambassador of Turkey to India Firat Sunel graced the closing ceremony of the Shillong Literary Festival on Wednesday at Wards Lake.
While addressing the gathering, Sunel said that India and Turkey enjoy ties that date back to ancient times, much before India’s Independence.
Sunel, who is also an author, shared his personal experiences about his book 'The Lighthouse Family' at the event. During the programme, he highlighted that both nations share similar culture and heritage. He said this tie needs to be strengthened with people-to-people contact. Furthermore, he praised Meghalaya for its commitment to preserving its cultural heritage through initiatives such as the Forgotten Folklore Project.
However, the ambassador of Turkey evaded a question on the Turkey’s continuous support to Pakistan by raking up the Kashmir issue on international platforms.
Although India and Turkey shared cultural and economic ties from the Vedic era, the ties during the later period have been tumultuous. Invaders from Turkey have attacked and ruled India from about 1100, which included the Ghaznavids and others.
Later, during his keynote address, Sunel said that in the era of globalisation, cultural diplomacy can build bridges between nations through the exchange of art, literature, and music.
