To mark Eid al-Adha, the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and the Faith and Beliefs Commission of the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) released separate public statements offering holiday greetings and renewing calls for peace, justice and an end to discrimination.
In a joint message released on 5 June, DEM Party co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan emphasised that Eid al-Adha should be a time for reflecting on the shared values of unity and peace. ‘We hope that Eid al-Adha brings peace, freedom, and equality to everyone,’ said the party, emphasising the importance of peaceful coexistence among the various identities, beliefs, and cultures in Turkey.
In its Eid al-Adha message, the HDK’s Faith and Beliefs Commission highlighted the importance of the occasion as an opportunity to strengthen solidarity and the shared struggle for justice and peace. The Commission invoked the Abrahamic tradition’s legacy of resisting tyranny as a guiding principle for today’s society. The Commission reiterated its call for ‘Democratic Society Building’ as a way forward for the peoples of the Middle East, demanding a democratic constitution that protects the rights of all faiths. The Commission warned that crises caused by nation-states could only be overcome through unity and democratic principles.
The Commission also called for collective visits to the graves of martyrs and to the families of martyrs and political prisoners, describing these as meaningful acts of remembrance and solidarity. Believers were encouraged to share alms with the poor in Kurdistan and communities facing attacks in Rojava and Syria, as such gestures were described as spiritually significant. Finally, the Commission warned against rising polarisation and authoritarianism, urging all democratic forces to unite and take responsibility in the ongoing struggle for a more just and equal society.
