First lady Emine Erdoğan met with Mongolian first lady Bolortsetseg Luvsandorj during her official visit to Türkiye on Jan. 17.
Erdoğan and Luvsandorj visited the Presidential Nation’s Library for their first stop. Erdoğan warmly greeted Luvsandorj at the library entrance, and the two then proceeded to Cihannüma Hall.
The first ladies explored the books in the Mongolia section of the library and took photographs there.
Erdoğan presented Luvsandorj with an Azerbaijani translation of Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar’s “The Time Regulation Institute” and an English version of Sufi philosopher Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi’s “Masnavi.” In return, Luvsandorj gifted Emine Erdoğan records and books reflecting Mongolian culture.
At the Nasreddin Hodja Children’s Library, Erdoğan and Luvsandorj were welcomed by children from the presidential day care center.
The first ladies reviewed the children’s traditional arts and crafts. The children gifted their ebru art pieces featuring tulip designs to Emine Erdoğan and Luvsandorj. The women thanked the children and took commemorative photographs.
Visit to the ‘Anadolu’dakiler’ exhibition
Later, the two visited the “Anadolu’dakiler” (“Those in Anatolia”) exhibition, organized under Emine Erdoğan’s patronage by the Ministry of Industry and Technology with the slogan “Abundance, Accumulation and Skill in Anatolia.”
The first ladies closely examined regional clothing, such as the Ankara bindallı, a traditional gown worn for a pre-wedding henna night, and learned about the fabrics and motifs used.
While tasting Turkish coffee brewed over hot sand, sipping salep and snacking on roasted chickpeas, they also learned about cotton weaving on wooden presses and ecological printing techniques using various tree leaves on silk fabric.
The exhibition, showcasing Anatolia’s cultural heritage in areas such as food and textiles, will be open until Jan. 31.
Luvsandorj signs the ‘Global Zero Waste Pledge’
Following the exhibition, Erdoğan and Luvsandorj attended the “Sof Fabric Fashion Show” held by the Ankara Olgunlaşma Institute, featuring clothes made from Ankara goat hair and sof fabric.
During the show, officials from the Olgunlaşma Institute provided information about the fabric and the fashion show.
After the program, Luvsandorj signed the “Global Zero Waste Pledge,” the first signatory of which was President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
After the event, Emine Erdoğan shared a message on her social media stating: “I was delighted to meet with the esteemed wife of Mongolia’s President, Bolortsetseg Luvsandorj, at the Presidential Nation’s Library during her official visit to our country. It was a wonderful opportunity to present our library, a gateway to the world, and to explore the valuable works in the Mongolia section.
She also added: “We also had the pleasure of witnessing the beauty of our traditional textiles through the Sof Fabric Fashion Show, organized by the Ankara Olgunlaşma Institute, which reflects the elegance and history of Anatolia.”
She reflected on the meeting: “Later, we explored the ‘Anadolu’dakiler’ exhibition, where we shared the knowledge, skills and heritage passed down through generations. I firmly believe that these visits, filled with culture and art, will only strengthen the bonds of friendship between our two nations.”