Foster families shared their experiences, and a call was made for loving homes for children.
In Cologne, Germany, the importance of foster families was discussed at a special program organized for June 30 Foster Family Day. At the event, organized by the Family and Social Services Attaché Office of the Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in Cologne, foster families shared their experiences, and a call was made for more families to undertake this meaningful responsibility.
The program, carried out under the leadership of Rukiye Sancar, Attaché at the Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in Cologne, was attended by Rukiye Sancar and Ferhat Sayın, Attachés at the Cologne Consulate General, Adem Onur, Chairman of the DİTİB Cologne Regional Union, representatives of non-governmental organizations, foster families, and many guests.
Program Began with Recitation of the Holy Quran
The program, where guests were welcomed with flowers, began with the recitation of the Holy Quran. At the event, a video message prepared by Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş for Foster Family Day was shown to the participants.
In her message, Minister Göktaş thanked foster families for providing love, security, and a sense of home to children, emphasizing that foster families play a crucial role in the formation of strong societies.
Göktaş stated that thanks to the Gönül Elçileri Project (Ambassadors of the Heart Project), carried out under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, foster family services have transformed into a significant model of social solidarity, and expressed her wish for more families to participate in this benevolent movement.
“A Strong Family is the Foundation of Strong Societies”
Adem Onur, Chairman of the DİTİB Cologne Regional Union, who spoke at the program, greeted the participants and drew attention to the importance of the family institution in society.
Ferhat Sayın, Attaché at the Cologne Consulate General, stated in his speech that the family is one of the most established institutions in society.
Sayın, conveying the message “Strong families build strong societies,” stated that the understanding of Himaye-i Etfal, established in the early years of the Republic to care for children, continues today with the foster family system.
Sayın expressed that the Turkish community living in Germany makes significant contributions to the country they reside in with its strong family structure, and said that being a foster parent not only touches a child's life but also means investing in the future of society.
“Being a Foster Parent is Rebuilding a Child's Life”
Rukiye Sancar, Attaché at the Cologne Consulate General, who organized the event, reminded in her comprehensive presentation that Foster Family Day was declared with a Presidential Circular published in 2021.
Sancar stated that societal awareness regarding foster families has increased with the Gönül Elçileri Project launched in 2012, and that a large number of children have found safe and loving family environments to date.
Sancar emphasized that foster care is not just a service of care, but that children's fundamental needs are security, love, belonging, and being valued.
Sancar made the following assessment in her speech:
“For a child, security, love, a sense of belonging, and being valued are among the most fundamental needs. Foster families offer children not just a home, but security, hope, and an opportunity to believe in the future again. Being a foster parent is, in fact, rebuilding a child's life.”
Sancar also called on Turkish citizens living in Germany, drawing attention to the importance of societal support for foster family services to be more recognized and widespread.
Foster Families Shared Their Experiences
The “A Home, A Hope: Foster Family Experience Sharing Panel” held as part of the program received great interest from the participants.
At the panel, foster families shared how they made the decision, the initial bond they formed with the children, the challenges they faced, and the spiritual changes that being a foster parent brought to their own lives.
During the panel, which saw emotional moments, participants stated that being a foster parent not only changes the lives of children but also adds great meaning to the lives of the families.
The program concluded with thanking the panelists, taking a group photo, and conversations among the foster families.
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