Turkey Celebrates 2025 as the "Year of the Family"

The Turkish Embassy in Cairo celebrated Turkey’s 2025 Year of the Family.  

As part of the commemoration, the Embassy organized a day dedicated to supporting Palestinian families affected by the conflict.  

With a population of more than 85 million, Turkey is characterized by its youth and social diversity. Recently, the country has adopted policies aimed at slowing population growth, encouraging healthy and sustainable marriage, and promoting families with at least three children.  

Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, programs in the social, economic, and educational sectors are being implemented to strengthen the family institution and ensure the wellbeing of families made up of men, women, and three children. The designation of 2025 as the Year of the Family in Turkey seeks to safeguard households against threats, provide them with social and economic tools, promote their sustainability, and raise awareness on the importance of family. Turkey and Egypt share common views on the need to protect and define family concepts both nationally and internationally.  

Unlike Egypt’s higher demographic growth, Turkey faces a declining population growth rate. To counter this, a minimum of three children per family is encouraged through effective fertility-enhancing policies. Numerous financial, social, and administrative measures are being implemented, including support for working mothers to spend more time with their newborns. Social housing policies, similar to those in Egypt, are also part of this support. In addition, combating threats faced by the family institution due to emerging Western ideologies remains a central priority for Turkey. In this regard, Turkey views the family as a union of men and women and strongly resists Western campaigns or movements opposed to this outlook.  

As in Egypt, Turkey is making significant efforts to provide humanitarian and social support in response to human losses, injuries, and family displacement caused by Israeli aggression in Gaza. Aid is being delivered through Red Crescent organizations and related institutions in both countries.  

The Turkish people attach great importance to supporting Palestinian families and children in Gaza, both through official and non-governmental relief organizations, and especially in cooperation with Egyptian authorities. The Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Services, which oversees family-related institutions, also provides psychosocial support to Gazans who have traveled to Turkey for medical treatment.  

In this context, and as part of the Year of the Family 2025 celebrations, the Turkish Embassy in Cairo organized an event today, Wednesday, October 1, 2025, to extend financial and social support to Palestinian families currently residing in Egypt who are suffering from economic hardships and psychological distress due to the war.  

The event was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Cairo Salih Mutlu Şen and Palestinian Ambassador to Cairo Diab Allouh. Egyptian singer Mostafa Qamar participated voluntarily by performing songs, while Quranic recitations were delivered by Tarek Abdel Baset Abdel Samad, son of the late Sheikh Abdel Baset Abdel Samad.  

In his remarks, Ambassador Şen noted that the event was organized under the directives of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and with the support of Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir. He explained that the main purpose of the event was to provide moral and financial support to Palestinian families living in Egypt.  

Ambassador Şen stressed that nearly every Palestinian family in Gaza has either lost a martyr, suffered injuries, been displaced, or is facing serious economic hardship as a result of the war. He emphasized that countries deeply invested in the issue, particularly Egypt and Turkey, are working to support these families.  

During the event, held in cooperation with the Palestinian Embassy, financial and food aid was distributed to Palestinian families in Egypt.  

Ambassador Şen expressed hope that Palestinian families would eventually be able to return to their homeland once a ceasefire is reached in Gaza and reconstruction efforts begin under Egypt’s plan. However, he cautioned that the process would be extremely difficult and painful. He added that these fragmented families deserve, and urgently need, material and moral support from the entire Arab and Islamic world during this period. He reaffirmed that Turkey, in cooperation with Egypt, will continue to provide all forms of support.  

For their part, the Palestinian families expressed their gratitude to Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister Mahinur Özdemir, and Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen for their compassion and support. Palestinian Ambassador in Cairo, Diab Allouh, also conveyed his appreciation, stressing that Turkey, alongside Egypt, remains at the forefront of aid efforts to Gaza and reaffirming the commitment to continue close coordination with both countries on these issues.