A statue of a young Turkish man has been erected in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht in the western Netherlands as part of a project by Dutch lender ABN AMRO to inspire the youth to better the world, marking the first time a statue of a Turk has been erected in the country.

The initiative carried out in cooperation with the youth organization "Young Impact and ABN AMRO" aims to give a podium to students who have made outstanding contributions to society so they can serve as an inspiration to their peers to turn their ideas for a better world into a reality.

Alihan Uzun, 22, living in the town of Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht and doing his master's degree in technical public administration at Delft Technical University, developed a project entitled "My Dream CV" for students from low-income families at the Ministry of Education's Youth Council, of which he is a member.

Uzun said that he developed the project to provide equal opportunities among students, explaining: "With this project, I enable students to prepare their dream CV in the workshops I do."

‘My Dream CV’

The project is mainly for young people from lower-income families who tend to have fewer prospects, said Uzun, who envisions a world in which kids have equal opportunities in school. Uzun arranges workshops to help young people create their CVS and all that entails as he believes it is unfair that these children are provided fewer opportunities. In the Netherlands, a teacher's recommendation for a student's middle or high school level is significantly influenced by the parents' financial and social circumstances, which limits the opportunities these children have for success.

Uzun helps his pupils dream about the future and create their future resumes with his project. "Young people write on their CVs how and with what steps they should reach their dreams. This way, even if they start at a low level, I show them the possibilities of climbing up and I inspire them," he explains.

Touching on his Turkish heritage, Uzun underlined that the first-generation Turks laid the foundation for the current youth as he explained that he had a message for the Turkish youth currently living in the Netherlands. Addressing his Turkish peers, the student said: "The ancestors of our first generation who immigrated to the Netherlands fought to survive in a nation they did not know. Despite the fact that they are unable to define their own definition of success, they have set the stage for us. I believe we ought to benefit from this legacy that has been left for us."

Instead of asking "what is my place in this country?" Uzun suggests that the real question should be "what can I give to this country?"

Nominated in the "Equal Chances" category at the Youth Impact Awards organized for the sixth time by the Youth Impact Foundation, supported by ABN Amro Bank, Uzun said that he was very proud and happy because of the interest shown in his project and the erection of his statue.

Uzun also used the opportunity to draw attention to other projects developed by other members of the Youth Council of the Netherlands Ministry of Education.

"A company was engaged to photograph these projects, however owing to time constraints, the shooting of my project was unable to be completed. So, I used my own resources to recruit a team, and I planned and oversaw the filming of my project myself. Because I shot my project before the other council members finished their shooting montages, I got the chance to post it on social media. Because of this, my project gained attention and created a splash. I was disappointed that my project couldn't be shot in the first place, but this circumstance resulted in the construction of my statue and another charity."

Noting that his statue will remain on show until Nov. 10, when the Youth Impact Awards will be distributed, Uzun said, "I advise the youth not only to earn money and improve their economic status, but also to do useful work for society."