First Lady Emine Erdoğan inaugurated the "Valide (Mother) Sultans Manuscripts Exhibition" in Istanbul on Friday.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the first lady said she hopes the Century of Türkiye is one in which the country shapes its future by maintaining its roots in its ancient history and that activities increasing the familiarity of modern researchers with the knowledge of ancient times become more prevalent.

Attending the exhibition, held at Istanbul’s largest library, Rami Library, which is the largest library in the metropolis with a history of more than 250 years as a military barracks, Emine Erdoğan said the complex has become a cultural meeting point by reconnecting the past and present.

Noting that she values attempts to protect and preserve science and culture, Erdoğan said Ottoman mother sultans played a significant role in this regard and helped old manuscripts survive to this day. Praising the pious foundations established by mother sultans to build aqueducts, wells, fortresses, bridges, caravanserai, Turkish baths, fountains and more, Erdoğan said these monuments continue to inspire modern architecture. Their efforts to also preserve manuscripts are worthy of praise, according to Erdoğan, who noted that there are countless numbers of manuscripts on Islamic sciences, philosophy, history, geography, optics, math, medicine and more.

Pointing to the diversity of personal libraries donated by Nurbanu Sultan, Turhan Sultan and Pertevniyal Sultan, the first lady said they are being entrenched in memory through their heritage.