In Erzurum, where approximately 11,000 foreign students are studying, Muslim students who are thousands of kilometers away from their families have been experiencing the excitement of iftar together for 11 years.
As a "student city" with Atatürk University and Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum hosts thousands of students from various countries every year.
With the increasing number of foreign students each year, the Erzurum International Student Association, founded in 2014, plays a significant role in supporting them.
During Ramadan, an iftar program supported by the public and hosted at a social facility of Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality has been ongoing for 11 years and continues this year as well.
Every evening, around 100 students gather before iftar, sharing the joy of Ramadan and breaking their fast together.
Ertan Halit Aksakal, president of the Erzurum International Student Association, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the city hosts 11,000 foreign students from 90 countries and that the association has been providing both financial and moral support to them since its establishment.
Stating that the iftar programs with foreign students have become a tradition, Aksakal said: "This year, we are organizing our 11th Ramadan program. We come together for iftar meals. Our Ramadan efforts are not limited to iftar programs; we also provide food packages to students living in dormitories. The donations we receive from volunteers, such as fitrah, zakat and charity, are given to students in need. In addition, we support students with their studies on weekends."
Aksakal continued, "For 11 years, we have been setting up iftar tables for our international students in a warm, family-like atmosphere so they do not feel the absence of their parents. Some of our students come from thousands of kilometers away."
"In Erzurum, we have students from Albania to Mauritania, Kazakhstan to Burkina Faso. They are all far from home, and we strive to support them, taking on a parental role. We want our students to feel safe and have a reliable place to turn to if they encounter any problems. Our iftar tables are part of this effort. Every day, we provide meals for nearly 100 students," he said.
Aksakal noted that through such initiatives, foreign students also get to experience Turkish hospitality firsthand and added that local residents sometimes invite foreign students into their homes for iftar.
"We want them to closely observe Turkish culture and carry these values back to their countries. Many of our former students have become great role models in their home countries. We always encourage them to support others and serve humanity. Some have even established foundations and associations, which makes us proud."
Shad Hasan, a student from Bangladesh studying at Atatürk University’s Faculty of Pharmacy, said that the iftar gatherings give them a special sense of belonging.
"Although we are far from our families and living alone, we feel the peace and the joy of sharing at iftar. These programs are very meaningful for us. Here, there is no distinction of race, skin color or language. We all speak Turkish, we all sit at the same table and we share the same bread," Hasan said.
Expressing gratitude to the Turkish people for their hospitality, Hasan added, "Even though we are far from our families, we feel like we are among people we know and trust."
Basher Alzuraiqi from Yemen said that despite being away from their families, they experience the spirit of Ramadan at these iftar tables, arriving early to help with preparations, and thanked those who contributed to the program.
Kamila Akhmerova from Tatarstan stated that the association has always supported them and that they occasionally invite their Turkish friends to join them for iftar.
