Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reflected on the reopening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque during a speech at the Necip Fazil Awards ceremony, framing the act as a fulfillment of a long-held aspiration inspired by the late poet and intellectual Necip Fazil Kisakurek.
Speaking to the audience, Erdogan recounted an anecdote involving Kisakurek: “At Sultanahmet Square, near the Water Tower, the Master spoke. He pointed to Hagia Sophia and declared, ‘One day, Hagia Sophia will open. It will open one day. One day, it will open.’ Praise be to Allah, the Master had such vision, and while he cried out in hope, it fell to this humble servant to make it a reality.”
Erdogan’s remarks referred to the controversial 2020 decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque, a move celebrated by many in Turkey but criticized internationally as undermining its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The “Ideal Youth” and the Red Apple Vision
Addressing the youth, Erdogan invoked the symbolic and historic concept of the “Red Apple” — an emblem of Turkish ambition with religious and expansionist connotations.
“Our youth must have branches that extend to eternity,” Erdogan stated. “A youth that defends its language, religion, knowledge, and hatred — this youth will be a model for humanity. This youth will glorify its nation and reach the Red Apple. This is our ideal youth.”
The Red Apple, deeply rooted in Turkish history and folklore, has been used by Erdogan in the past as a metaphor for the country’s long-term aspirations and unity under shared national and religious values.
