Thank You, Turkey!

His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey

Dear Prime Minister Erdogan,

Peace be with you. In recognition of the importance of June 20 as the United Nations designated "World Refugee Day", we Muslim Americans and Friends of Turkey would like to acknowledge and commend Turkey's long history of caring for international refugees inside and outside your borders.  No short letter can fully describe Turkey’s efforts in this, nor your personal contributions as Prime Minister.  Centuries of support to displaced persons are the valued legacy the Turkish people have given to world civilization.  

On this World Refugee Day 2013, we wish to remind the world of the openness and willingness with which the Ottoman Empire had so long accepted refugees, like those of the Jewish faith persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition of the 15^th and 16^th Centuries.  We are proud to note this tradition continued to even World War II, when the Republic freely accepted Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi terror.  As Muslim Americans we see this is as a shining example of religious tolerance that all countries should follow.

In the recent past, Turkey's material support and hospitality for refugees from Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and now Syria have saved the lives of many thousands of innocent men, women and children evicted from their homes and countries.   Turkish resources and operational support have also helped alleviate the suffering of refugees from Myanmar, Afghanistan, Palestine, Somalia, and Sudan -- and many other places – and saved countless additional thousands in countries even far away from your own.

For all these contributions, and many more Turkey has done with no fanfare or publicity, we salute and thank you personally, and the dedicated Government officials and people of Turkey who have been the inspiration and engine for Turkey’s great accomplishments in the past, present and future. 

As Muslim Americans, we are proud to highlight such achievements by Muslims worldwide, which can increase mutual understanding and respect between people of all faiths, in America and around the world.  

Again, we congratulate Turkey’s great achievements, and offer our prayers and best wishes for many more in the years to come.  We hope that the moderation and understanding your leadership had shown in the past will continue to be a guiding light for your Government, and will be a powerful beacon of hope and inspiration for people of faith around the world.

With Sincere Appreciation and Thanks,
Muslim Americans and Friends of Turkey