October 3, 2025

CoHE President Erol Özvar marched alongside students from 15 universities in support of Palestine.

The event, titled “Different Languages, One Heart” and organized by the Union of Universities in the Eastern Black Sea Project (DOKAP) Region, took place in Amasya. The march brought together students and academics from 15 member universities, along with politicians, representatives of civil society organizations, and local citizens.

In his speech following the march, Özvar emphasized that Israel’s ongoing attacks, now entering their second year, have reached the stage of genocide.

“Israel is massacring Muslims in Gaza—women, the elderly, children, civilians, and soldiers alike,” he said. “We strongly condemn and curse this genocide. We will never remain silent in the face of this oppression. We will never lower our voices. Until Gaza attains its freedom, we—as universities, students, and scholars—will continue to raise our voices.”

Recalling that the Council of Higher Education and 15 universities in Amasya came together to denounce Israel’s aggression, Özvar stated: “Where there is oppression, there can be no justice. To establish justice, oppression must first be eliminated.”

He further underlined that universities exist not only to generate and disseminate knowledge but also to promote solidarity, fraternity, and unity. “Alongside our Turkish students, we proudly host international students from around the world who have earned the right to study at our universities,” Özvar said. “In line with the vision set forth by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we will continue to welcome students from the Islamic world, the Turkic world, Africa, and every corner of the globe.”