Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has inaugurated a skyscraper, the Turkevi (Turkish House), which features Turkish culture, history and architectural motifs, in New York City, Voice of America Turkish reported on Monday.
The 36-storey building, whose construction took four years, neighbours the U.N. plaza in Manhattan, and is set to serve as home to Turkey’s permanent mission to the U.N. and its consulate general in New York, VoA said. The building will also provide diplomatic housing.
“I would like to point out once again that the doors of our Türkevi building are open to everyone,’’ Erdoğan said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday. “I wish for the Türkevi, which will be an exemplary building in New York, to bring good fortune to the United States.’’
Erdoğan said the materials and furnishings of the 171-metre-tall building, which cost around $300 million, were brought from Turkey.
“Our Türkevi building is a symbol of our belief in the U.N., justice and peace,’’ Erdoğan said, adding that the structure would be a reflection of the Turkey’s place in the international community.
Erdoğan is on a four-day visit to the United States, where he attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The visit arrives amid tensions between Ankara and Washington over a string of issues, including Turkey’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defence systems.
Ahval