An exhibition was held at the European Parliament (EP), hosted by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Ilhan Küçük, shedding light on the period when the names of Muslim Turks in Bulgaria were forcibly changed.
Titled "Name, Identity and Memory: The 40th Anniversary of the Final Phase of the Forced Name Changes of Muslim-Turkish Names in Bulgaria," the exhibition was organized under the patronage of Küçük, a member of the Renew Europe group in the EP.
The event garnered significant attention, featuring photographs that highlighted the struggles faced by the Muslim Turkish community in Bulgaria during the 1970s and 1980s. These images provided a glimpse into the difficult times the community endured under state-imposed policies.
In a statement to Anadolu Agency (AA), Küçük explained that the exhibition aimed to share the challenges experienced by the Bulgarian Turkish community and raise awareness among the European public. He remarked, "We wanted to tell the story of our difficult times in the EP and also make a call to the public in Europe."
Küçük emphasized that these tragic events occurred many years ago in Bulgaria, stating: "We must not forget them and must pass these memories on to future generations. At the same time, we need to think about what we can do together with European Turks in the modern era."
