Emine Erdoğan introduced the traditional and deep-rooted Turkish dowry tradition to the world.

Emine Erdoğan, who traveled to the United States with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to attend the 79th United Nations (UN) General Assembly, held intense meetings with the spouses of participating country leaders.

Emine Erdoğan accompanied President Erdoğan during the UN 79th General Assembly meetings held in New York City, USA, from September 21-25. Emine Erdoğan, who was in the United States for the UN 79th General Assembly, hosted the program "Bridal Treasures: A Journey Through Ottoman and Anatolian Dowries," organized by the Maturation Institutes at the Türkevi in New York.

The program was attended by the spouses of various leaders, including Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of the President of Nigeria; Prindon Sadriu, the wife of the President of Kosovo; Sayukta Roopun, the wife of the President of Mauritius; Filomena Katonivere, the wife of the President of Fiji; Lucrecia Peinado, the wife of the President of Guatemala; Mirela Becirovic, the wife of the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Mareva Grabowski Mitsotakis, the wife of the Prime Minister of Greece; Linda Rama, the wife of the Prime Minister of Albania; and Philile Dlamini, the wife of the Prime Minister of Eswatini, along with ministers, members of parliament, editors-in-chief, and senior representatives of international organizations.

"TURKISH COFFEE AND SHERBET WERE SERVED"

In her address to the guests at the program, Emine Erdoğan expressed her happiness in hosting her guests at the Türkevi on the occasion of a special event where the dowries of the Ottoman and Anatolian cultures, made by the skilled hands of Turkish women, would be discovered. During the fashion show, Emine Erdoğan provided information to the spouses of the presidents about the outfits and explained the characteristics of the embroidery. After the fashion show, which received great admiration from the participants, a family photo was taken. As part of the program, an exhibition area was created on one floor of the Türkevi, featuring dowries, wedding costumes, handmade carpets, and objects reflecting Turkish culture, adorned with motifs from Ottoman and Anatolian culture. After serving traditional Turkish coffee and sherbet to the spouses of the heads of state, who were welcomed one by one by Emine Erdoğan, the exhibition area was visited.

"OUR TREASURE IN THE CHESTS IS REVIVING AGAIN"

Emine Erdoğan explained to her guests how the dowry is prepared by brides, the meaning of the motifs they embroidered on the products, and the value of passing down handmade products to future generations.

Emine Erdoğan emphasized the importance of the henna night in Turkish culture in the exhibition area, and in a section designed to resemble a traditional Turkish bath with decorations, she conveyed the meaning of the bride's bath.

In the section of the exhibition area that resembled a tree, Emine Erdoğan shared information about the Nahıl tree culture in Anatolia with her guests, while some guests hung their wishes on this tree.

After her visit to New York, Emine Erdoğan stated, "In the program 'Bridal Treasures: A Journey Through Ottoman and Anatolian Dowries,' we shared century-old stories and our cultural heritage woven stitch by stitch. Each dowry is a loving legacy passed from a mother's heart to her daughter. Each motif is not just an ornament; it represents the spirit of ancient Anatolia, the delicacy, patience, and strength of a culture that has existed for thousands of years. Our Maturation Institutes have been working since 1945 to preserve this heritage with all its naivety and elegance. The 'Miracle of the Turkish Needle' project is reviving our treasure in the chests. I believe that these unique works and our institutes will turn the art-adorned face of our country into a global brand around the world. I thank the esteemed spouses of heads of state, representatives of international organizations, ministers, and all our guests who participated in our program."