The Chief Minister has met with the Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in Manchester, Mrs Füsun Aramaz, before her visit to the Isle of Man this week.
Mrs Aramaz is on the island to meet members of the Turkish community and to honour the Turkish war graves at Knockaloe in Patrick.
Following the meeting, the Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Consul General to the island. The Turkish community on the Isle of Man are a valuable part of our Island community, and we appreciate their contribution to our culture and economy.”
Commemorative Ceremony
During her visit, the Consul General will lead a commemorative ceremony at Knockaloe to pay tribute to the Turks who died while interned on the Isle of Man during the First World War.
Around 100 Turkish civilians were held at Knockaloe Camp under the British Government’s enemy alien policy, which saw German, Austrian, Hungarian and Turkish nationals living in Britain detained as potential threats.
Seven Turkish internees died at the camp and are buried alongside 33 Commonwealth war graves from the 1914–1918 conflict.
The Turkish graves are maintained by local volunteers working with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and are marked each November with crescent‑shaped poppy memorials.
