The IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation and Bursa Metropolitan Municipality organized a circumcision ceremony in Srebrenica and Kakani towns of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Eighty children were circumcised in a mass ceremony.  

The ceremony was attended by Recep Altepe, mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Özgen Keskin, mayor of Yıldırım district of Bursa, a delegation of officials, Mukadder Tanok Tanovic, Bosnia project representative for the IHH, and Feyza Sehbayraktarevic, chairman of the Istanbul Educational and Cultural Center, a local partner organization of the IHH. 

Mayor Altepe stated in his speech during the ceremony in Kakani that Bosnia-Herzegovina is part of Turkey. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey are integrated, Altepe said, “We get sad and get happy together. You are our coreligionists, brothers living in the center of Europe. We will continue to help Bosnia-Herzegovina as we have always done. Our brothers in the Balkans are entrusted to us by our ancestors.”

Kakani mayor Mensur Yasarspahic also indicated that Turkey has stood by Bosnian Muslims both in war and peace time and expressed his happiness of being together on the occasion

“We feel stronger and safer when our friends from Turkey visit us. We Bosnian Muslims have no friends but Turks.”

Mayor Altepe exchanged pleasantries with the children after circumcising and gave them gift bags including shirts of Bursaspor sports club.

Altepe expressed his joy over the happiness of children and over perpetuating a tradition in the Ottoman lands. He also presented plaques of gratitude to Kakani mayor and everyone that contributed to the organization.

Bursa mayor and his delegation later visited Kakani mayor at his office.

The delegation also paid a visit to the IHH local partner organization the Istanbul Educational Cultural Center and was briefed on IHH activities in the region.