June was a tough month of anti-racism rallies around the world. As people mourned the killing of George Floyd under police custody, a global reaction to white supremacist politics gained momentum.
This momentum however did not steer the EU away from their racist politics against Turkey. In an appalling decision, the EU countries that enjoyed Turkey's worldwide success and generosity during the pandemic, just could not bring themselves to lift travel warnings and enlist Turkey as a Covid-safe country for tourism.
This ugly face of European betrayal reignited Turkey's disillusionment with the West and short of fueling discussions to leave NATO, Ankara started debating Hagia Sophia's museum status, viewing the UNESCO Heritage Site as more of a political power indicator than a tourist destination.
A similar frustration with the racist European approach was experienced by Turkish-German politicians in the German Parliament. Both Cem Ozdemir and Gokay Akbulut reacted to AfD and reasoned that the violent Stuttgart riots stemmed from racist politics.
On lighter notes, food critic Vedat Milor's documentary 'Rehber' is a great reference on Turkish cuisine. Sahara Restaurant's 20 year-old fame makes it a hot spot in Sydney. Lastly, Sahika Ercumen's dive in the Bosphorus to draw attention to pollution is historic.
Looking forward to a great month of health, we hope you will be able to make it to Turkey for your summer vacation.
Eser Turan
Founding Editor
