23.07.2024 16:02
The red sports car used by the legendary figure of Turkish music, Barış Manço, during his residence in Belgium and found in a warehouse 3 years ago, has been transported to Turkey to be exhibited at the Barış Manço Museum in Istanbul. The arrival of the car in Turkey after a long process has been met with great joy by Barış Manço fans.
In the 1960s, Manço settled in the city of Liege in Belgium and intermittently lived there. His 1991 model Honda Prelude car, which was damaged in a flood in the region three years ago, was found in a warehouse by his sons Doğukan and Batıkan Manço. Upon this, his sons initiated legal proceedings to bring the car to Barış Manço Museum in Moda. After the procedures, it was decided to transport the car to Turkey.
"THE CAR WILL BE RESTORED BUT WILL NOT BE DRIVEN"
The car, which has been waiting to be brought to Turkey for 25 years without being driven, but needs to be 30 years old to be taken out of the country, was transported to Turkey by a sponsor logistics company via sea route in a container.
Prior to loading the car into the container, those involved in the process made evaluations. Batıkan Manço expressed his satisfaction with the end of the 6-7 month process carried out in cooperation with Belgian and Turkish authorities, saying, "I am sending it from here, my brother (Doğukan Manço) will receive it there." Manço said, "There is another process after the car arrives. My brother will take care of the mechanical part. There will be touch-ups. It will be restored for the car's health, but it will not be driven. It will be exhibited at Barış Manço Museum."
"WE USED THIS CAR IN BELGIUM WHEN WE WERE YOUNG"
"The car is going to the right place. It was a duty we wanted to fulfill for all Barışseverler. Clues about Barış Manço's life are exhibited in that museum. Therefore, the place of the car is Barış Manço Museum," said Manço, summarizing what the car means to him with the words "This car represents our life in Belgium. My brother and I were born here. We started school here. It was our car here."
"AS TWO SONS AND A FATHER, WE TRAVELED FROM ITALY TO BELGIUM WITH THIS CAR"
Manço mentioned that the car accompanied his family on their holidays in Turkey and shared an unforgettable memory as follows:
"Once, on the way back, my father and brother brought the car from Izmir to Italy. I have always envied their journey. We met in Italy. We had a vacation there. We traveled from there to Belgium by land. That was my longest journey in this car. It was an amazing vacation. It is among my most beautiful memories. A father and two sons were on a journey on a long road."
Manço also mentioned that his mother used to take him and his brother to school with this car and they went on many short trips. Reminding his father's interest in collecting, Manço stated that he was interested not only in classic cars but also in sports models like this car. Speaking with a smile, Manço said, "Actually, as far as I know, my father bought this car for my mother. However, my father had an interest not only in Japanese culture but also in Japanese technology. It was not a car bought by chance." He used the expression "He understood cars himself."
BRUSSELS CONSUL GENERAL: BARIŞ MANÇO CONTINUES TO UNITE TURKEY AND BELGIUM
Umut Deniz, the Brussels Consul General who was present for the farewell of the car, said, "Today is a very important day for us. We are at the beginning of an initiative to send the car that the late Barış Manço used in Belgium years ago to Turkey. Barış Manço is a person who has already established bridges between Turkey and Belgium with the bridges he built in the hearts years ago. We all grew up with his songs, but I think he further strengthened his artist identity by making beautiful works between these two countries."
Deniz, referring to the fact that this year is the 60th anniversary of the Turkey-Belgium Labor Agreement, said, "Barış Manço's presence in the center of events by strengthening these symbols in such a year also makes us happy. The opening of the mural made in memory of Manço in Liege was recently held. Barış Manço continues to unite Turkey and Belgium. We will continue to keep this strong symbol alive together."
"A PROUD SITUATION"
Mehmet Can Günaydın, the Benelux Director of sponsor company Barsan Global Logistics, expressed his happiness to be part of such a project. Günaydın said, "It was in a bad condition in an old warehouse in Liege due to a flood. We received the car from there with the guidance of Batıkan and Doğukan gentlemen. After the cleaning process, we tried to keep it in our warehouse. The paperwork was completed with the support of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Trade. It is a proud situation for us." He said.
Ebru Alkan Manço, the wife of Barış Manço's brother, also stated that she was involved in the process of transferring the car due to managing a project at the same company and said, "It was our biggest dream for the car to go to Turkey." She said. Alkan Manço stated that the process was quickly resolved after the idea of the transfer process emerged and said that the process deeply touched them.