Haydi Tut Elimi Association members came together for a ‘Conversation Hour with Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan’ within the scope of the ‘Journey from Mind to Heart’ event. In the program, which saw emotional moments, Tarhan pointed out that the distance between mind and heart has widened, and there is no bridge between the two, and stated that modernism has built a wall between mind and heart. Tarhan stated that currently, people's greatest need is to create paths between mind and heart, adding that if we cannot tear down the walls, we must pierce through them.
Journey from Mind to Heart event was held!
Barış Sürekli, a member of the Haydi Tut Elimi Association, who hosted the program and provided information about the association, said: “Remember your childhood. The first day, the first school day, the first report card day, your first toys and first games. If you can remember these with a smile, you are lucky. In our country, one out of every three children is subjected to abuse. Welcome and thank you for honoring the program of our Haydi Tut Elimi Association, which works diligently to identify, rehabilitate, and integrate into life our children who strive wholeheartedly in this matter.”
Ayşe Banu Güngenci: “The sentences are very short, but the activities are very comprehensive”
First to take the podium at the event was Ayşe Banu Güngenci, Secretary General of the Haydi Tut Elimi Association. She spoke about the Haydi Tut Elimi Association, its goals, and activities. Güngenci said: “I have been the Secretary General of the association since 2010. In the early days, I used to get very excited when giving speeches, and now I am very excited to explain what we do. Our slogan is ‘Give a light for my future: Come, Hold My Hand.’ Our association is a non-governmental organization established and operating to provide protective mental health, well-being, and positive psychological strengthening activities for young people aged 0-18, prevent negative practices related to children, facilitate their reintegration into society, ensure their return to families, and support them throughout their social rehabilitation process. Generally, children under protection have the right to become civil servants, but there is usually a gap of one or two years until they become civil servants. They need us very much during that period. If we stand behind them, each of them achieves good things. We have truly witnessed this many times. To heal this deepening wound, we aim to increase sensitivity, interest, and empathy towards the issue by organizing impactful public awareness activities. We try to reach all young people leaving institutional care by acting in coordination with the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services.”
Fadime Zehra Uluba: “One of the greatest pains of our childhood is the feeling of being disregarded”
Fadime Zehra Uluba, supported by the Haydi Tut Elimi Association and currently working as a civil servant in Ankara, spoke at the program: “Can everyone see and hear each other? If everyone can see and hear each other, this is the greatest indicator that we exist, because one of the greatest pains we experienced in our childhood is the feeling of being disregarded. Nobody saw us and nobody heard us. The biggest reason for not being heard is our family. As parents, one of the greatest duties is to always listen to children. Since parents didn't listen to us, didn't see us, and children were always raised by being disregarded, it caused us to experience a lot of pain and bad memories. When I started this journey in 2011-2012, nobody saw me, nobody heard me. This, unfortunately, was true. There are many like me. I have been in Ankara for about four years, and my existence in Ankara is thanks to all of you. Because I hadn't lived at all until today. After the age of 25, I realized that I existed, and that people valued my feelings and thoughts. I call out to mothers, fathers, and expectant mothers; Listen to your own children, give them an ear, give them a voice. No child is a monster or a brute. When raised well, when taught ethics, manners, and respect, when valued, rest assured they will be raised beautifully. Respect for both society and women will increase much more, and perhaps all the abuse and violence against women will also decrease as a result. We are developing greatly in terms of technology, but as humans, as a mindset, we always fall far behind. Still, no one appreciates anyone else. Still, no one hears the person next to them. Our biggest deficiency is our parents disregarding us.”
The music recital garnered appreciation...
In the program, where association members also spoke, a music recital was performed by Dr. Lecturer Tuğba Aydın Öztürk, faculty member of the Sociology department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dr. Lecturer Seda Tüfekçioğlu, faculty member of the Turkish Music Department at Medeniyet Üniversitesi's Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture.
The choir performance by the children of the association members and volunteers also received a standing ovation during the program.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Our Goal is to Touch a Few Lives”
Following the music recital, the “Conversation Hour with Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan” took place. During the conversation, moderated by journalist Şaban Özdemir, Tarhan said: “We have many heroes like Fadime Zehra. They managed to escape those difficult days. In fact, we used the scientific knowledge we presented there. We also added a bit of our hearts and emotions, trying to help them. As a result, 50% of our ability to achieve results comes from their efforts. In other words, if our siblings like Zehra had not made an effort in this regard, what we did could not have progressed. There is a Hadith Qudsi that says, if you have good intentions and sincere effort, I am your completer. So, we acted with good intentions and sincere effort. Our goal is to touch a few lives, touch their souls, and beautify their lives and future; it is a very important thing. We have been able to contribute and touch them for this, but the greatest need of people, especially trauma victims, at that moment is to feel that they are important and valued.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Currently, people's greatest need is to create paths between mind and heart”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Psychiatrist, Founding Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, and President of Haydi Tut Elimi Association, said: “The biggest reason for the emergence of violence is the widening gap between mind and heart. Beyond the widening of the distance between mind and heart, there is no bridge between them. Modernism has built a wall between mind and heart. Currently, people's greatest need is to create paths between mind and heart. That is, if there is a wall, even if we cannot tear it down, we will pierce through it. We absolutely need to tunnel between the mind and the heart. We can call this a quantum tunnel.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Something Not Being Visible Does Not Mean It Doesn't Exist”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said: “Consider humanity solely as a material being, which is the current doctrine in the world, modernism. Our education system is also like that. It views humans as merely material beings, as physical entities, and presents them as such. There are concrete and abstract realities, visible and invisible realities. In the invisible reality, we cannot assume that something invisible is not real. Something not being visible does not prove it doesn't exist. At most, it shows that it has not been discovered yet. That's why science has kept invisible realities outside its domain. It used to say this is outside the realm of science, but now the entry of invisible realities into the scope of science is already something brought about by theoretical physics.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Life Success is as Important as Academic Success”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Psychiatrist and Founding Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, said: “Turning the misfortunes and disadvantaged situations experienced during a period of one's life into advantages is a very difficult thing. Not everyone can achieve this; it's a blessing. Therefore, transforming that trauma into an opportunity is important. Victims of trauma should confront it, ask themselves what it taught them, adapt it to their own lives, and try to be beneficial to others. If this becomes a life purpose, people can be both successful and happy.”
Following the conversation held at the Nermin Tarhan conference hall on the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Central Campus, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan signed his books titled Çağın Vicdanı (Conscience of the Age) and Bilinçli Genç Olmak (Being a Conscious Young Person) for his readers.
The conversation concluded with a commemorative photo session following the book signing ceremony, which saw high participation.