‘Civil society activities not a favor, but a way to repay debt’

Nonetheless, the current state of affairs in regards to the dynamism and the sphere of influence of civil society organizations (CSOs) based in Turkey are two main elements giving hope to Mrs. Davutoğlu for a brighter future for civil society activities. A constant smile and calmness are the two main characteristics that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Sare Davutoğlu’s personalities have in common.

The deeply held feeling of responsibility is perhaps one of the many other common traits the Davutoğlu couple share. Such feelings, or characteristics, obviously require supporting suffering people more with deeds than with words.

While Mr. Davutoğlu constantly highlights the notion of “moral depth,” which he says should not be ignored when pursuing foreign policy goals, Mrs. Davutoğlu doesn’t seem satisfied by solely seeing to her patients amidst a hectic routine, particularly after her spouse became foreign minister in May 2009, and is still actively involved in social responsibility activities.

She was one of the participants of a side event at the Civil Society Forum during the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC-IV), which took place in İstanbul on May 7-13. She moderated a thematic debate titled “LDCs in the Context of Diseases and Healthcare” and which was held as part of the Thematic Plenaries Monitoring Mechanism for LDC Development.

In an interview with Fatma K. Barbarosoğlu, a sociologist writing a regular column for the Yeni Şafak daily, published exactly a year ago, Mrs. Davutoğlu was asked how she could manage shouldering such weighty and different roles at the same time -- a mother, a doctor, an active member of civil society organizations and the spouse of the foreign minister.

“As a matter of fact, life includes various numbers of different areas which are intertwined with each other, like how a human being is a complex entity with its body, soul and social characteristics. In my opinion, separating life into compartments and living accordingly makes human beings unhappy and unproductive,” Davutoğlu responded in the interview.

The notions of conscience, ethics and justice were highlights of Mrs. Davutoğlu’s earlier remarks to the public. Sunday’s Zaman asked her why civil society matters within this framework -- the framework set by these notions to which she attributes high importance.

“Whether we are journalist or doctor, whether we are mother or laborer; while we fulfill this formal duty of ours, we should also pay our debt to society -- which has made a contribution to our growth in another way. Because a human being does not grow easily. Both our country and our families make huge sacrifices and significant investments for us,” Mrs. Davutoğlu replied.

“I consider civil society activities as a way of paying our debt to society and humanity, and I do not consider this a favor or charity. I see them as a very essential element that gives meaning to life. This is why I have been taking part in civil society activities for a very long time,” she went on to say.

“As a person who personally witnessed that these activities bring various contributions -- not only to those to whom you take aid, but also to those who take the aid to those in need -- I believe that all of us, in a way, should carry out these kinds of activities in order to turn the world into a place which is more livable,” Mrs. Davutoğlu stressed.

The way of life at the Davutoğlu residence

When asked whether it is possible to say that an understanding that considers civil society activities a payment of a debt to society is also a core element in their family life, she confirmed it. “Yes, of course, this becomes a way of life. Because if you become happy when doing kindness and if your children observe this, then they grow up that way. When the Bosnian War happened, my daughters were very small and they arranged a minor bazaar in the apartment we were living in. They put big posters on our door and they sold various little things that were the product of their own hands such as bookmarks to the residents of the apartment building. They sold these things to the residents by catching them on the stairs. Some of the neighbors bought them voluntarily, and some of them felt they had to in the face of the kids’ tenacity to sell the items,” Mrs. Davutoğlu recalled, with a compassionate smile on her face, reflecting her love for her children.

Life in İstanbul is another of the Davutoğlu couple’s passions, but they had to move to Ankara in 2009. Currently, their two elder daughters -- Sefure, 25, and Meymune Nur, 23 -- are married and don’t live in the family home. Mehmet, 15, and Hacer Bike, 11, are in Ankara with their parents.

One day each week, Mrs. Davutoğlu travels to İstanbul where she has an office and tends to her patients. Whenever she accompanies the foreign minister during his programs in İstanbul, she also schedules appointments with her patients. Meanwhile, she continues to attend professional symposiums and accompanies the minister during visits abroad.

“As a matter of fact, starting from a very young age, children should taste the joy of doing kindness. Because real happiness is possible only when you share. This is why, yes, these kinds of activities are very important in family life,” Mrs. Davutoğlu said.

She is also very sensitive to protection of the environment and the effective use of natural sources, and the phrase “Think Global, Act Local” appears to be an appropriate motto for Foreign Minister Davutoğlu’s politics as well as the lifestyle of the Davutoğlu couple.

“With its many and various aspects, we are all in the same boat. The world is truly one family, and we have to look after it. We have to look after it in regards to its human potential, its natural resources, its air, its water and its everything. Because without human sustenance, all other things are impossible. That is to say, first of all, we have to breathe; and if we continue wasting our resources -- including everything from natural resources to cultural heritage -- on earth in this way … Only if we look after all these sources, then the maintenance of our life and generation will be possible. All of these things are actually very intertwined,” Davutoğlu said. When asked whether what she explained with these remarks was also what she thinks about not separating life into compartments, she replied, “Yes.”