France celebrated its Bastille Day with a reception in Ankara. The evening ended, just like last year, with the popular Turkish folk tune “Erik Dalı.” Ankaralı singer Ömer Faruk Bostan performed the song live, while French Ambassador Isabelle Dumont joined him on stage to dance.
“We wanted to include a traditional Turkish song and art in our celebration,” said Dumont.
The reception took place at the French Embassy premises in Ankara, hosted by Ambassador Dumont. Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Ayşe Berris Ekinci, Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, diplomats, and guests attended the event.
M. Ferhat YÜKSEL
LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY
In her speech, Ambassador Dumont said, “Today we celebrate our motto: liberty, equality, and fraternity. These are values of the French Republic, but above all, they are universal.”
She highlighted the historic ties between Türkiye and France, noting, “Through our ongoing political dialogue, we continue to write the history of France-Türkiye relations together.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Ekinci described France as a major global political and economic actor. She emphasized the importance of the historical ties between the two countries and added, “A vital part of our bilateral relations lies in our economic and trade connections.”
FROM SAXOPHONE TO ERİK DALI
Later in the evening, the Tevfik Fikret High School Jazz Orchestra performed. Ambassador Dumont joined in with her saxophone. A DJ followed the band, and the celebration closed with “Erik Dalı.”
Bostan took the stage to sing live. Many guests, including Ambassador Dumont, took to the stage. Belgian Ambassador Hendrik Roger Van De Velde and the Dutch Ambassador’s spouse, Carmen Wijnands, also joined in with traditional Ankara-style moves.
“WE WANTED TO INCLUDE TURKISH ART”
After the event, Ambassador Dumont explained that France’s National Day is a very important occasion for French people.
“That’s why we wanted to include a traditional Turkish song and Turkish art in the celebration,” she said.
Singer Ömer Faruk Bostan shared his thoughts as well:
“It’s culturally meaningful to celebrate the day with a local folk dance and an artist from Ankara at the French Embassy in Ankara,” he said. “This kind of connection strengthens the friendship between Türkiye and France. As an artist from Ankara, it’s a great honor to be here.”
He added that next year, he hopes to perform with a live orchestra.
