Statement on DÖW’s May 2026 article

Preserving and sharing culture is part of our association’s mission. Wedding celebrations shaped by cultural traditions, historical Turkish script and the recent cultural festival in our neighbouring country Hungary reflect our history, our roots and living traditions.

Contacts, cooperation, exchange, mutual support, joint projects, meetings and dinners are part of social life.

Contact does not mean institutional affiliation. Cooperation does not mean subordination. Participation does not mean incorporation into an institution.

Our cultural activities must not be taken out of context.

Citing a social media post as a source does not, by itself, substantiate a claim. Its content, timing and the actual occasion must be carefully examined and accurately represented.

A specific error:

In DÖW’s article, images of a private wedding celebration shaped by cultural traditions are presented as a celebration of Turkey’s Republic Day hosted by ATZP. This misrepresents the actual occasion and recasts a private wedding as an association event.

Even an actual celebration of a national holiday would not, in itself, be evidence of extremism. We are fully entitled to celebrate a national holiday peacefully, proudly and together.

Anyone who misidentifies the occasion of an event and draws unsubstantiated conclusions from it must face questions about the reliability of their research and findings. This falls short of the standards of scientific rigour.

We see no substantiated evidence in the cited sources for our association’s alleged affiliation with or dependence on other institutions or structures. A direct enquiry would have helped clarify the matter. We were, and remain, ready to provide all relevant legal documents and explain our structures transparently.

An institution’s claim to scientific authority is not a licence to make characterisations that damage reputations. Scientific analysis must be distinguished from rumours and propagandistic interpretations. Unverified characterisations must neither be disseminated as established findings nor reused as reliable sources.

We expect DÖW to correct the inaccurate information promptly and transparently in public, and to conduct a thorough review of the conclusions drawn from it.

If an adequate correction is not made, we will pursue the legal remedies available to protect our association.

The ATZP Board