The event titled “BEUN 360 Talk: One City, One University, Shaping the Future Together” was held with wide participation at Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN).
Zonguldak Governor Osman Hacıbektaşoğlu and his spouse Güney Hacıbektaşoğlu, the Rector of BEUN, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer and his spouse Seran Özölçer; Vice Rectors, Prof. Dr. Şenol Hakan Kutoğlu, Prof. Dr. Bekir Hakan Bakkal, and Prof. Dr. Servet Karasu; Secretary General Prof. Dr. Zehra Safi Öz, senate members, Zonguldak Provincial Director of Family and Social Services, Mehmet Türkmen Köse; Zonguldak Provincial Director of Youth and Sports, Halil Hacı; Director of the Workers’ Union, Veli Köktürk; Zonguldak Provincial Director of National Education, Uygar Keskin, academic and administrative staff as well as students attended the talk held at Sezai Karakoç Cultural Center on Farabi Campus.
Esra Hacıoğlu, a branch manager at the BEUN Directorate of Personnel Affairs, moderated the program. Hacıoğlu said, “We are glad to bring the Governor of our city with the university students. This program is not just a talk but a significant meeting where the voice of the youth can be heard, ideas can be evaluated, and the future of Zonguldak can be discussed.”
Life Lessons, Experiences, and Memories from Governor Hacıbektaşoğlu
Zonguldak Governor Osman Hacıbektaşoğlu had a warm dialogue with the students. Talking about his experiences, Hacıbektaşoğlu said that he was a member of a family with 12 children, and he shared various memories from his university years at Uludağ University and his military service to the story of meeting his spouse and the examination period for the district governorship. Mentioning his years in Anatolian cities such as Amasya, Siirt, Kars, and Bilecik, Governor Hacıbektaşoğlu stated that he had his first connection with Zonguldak during his inspection internship in Ereğli and thought that the city was “peaceful, authentic, and valuable”.
Speaking on the flood disaster in 2023, at the time he took office, Hacıbektaşoğlu reminded that the state healed wounds in a short time with all its institutions and stated that the biggest happiness in public service is “touching human lives”. He defined the time they found a water resource with engineers in an area where they had a water shortage for years as one of the “unforgettable moments of his life”.
When he was asked about his greatest success, he replied that “hard work” and emphasized that his biggest luck is his family, particularly his spouse. Stating the respect and gratitude for his mother, the governor told the students that the person he takes as a role model in his career is the Governor of Trabzon, Alaaddin Yüksel. He stated that Yüksel taught them to attend the events of the city and ask themselves the question “What would I do in this situation?” when they analyzed the events.
Mentioning the significance of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as the leader who brought the Turkish nation together during its most difficult period and helped it rise again, Governor Hacıbektaşoğlu stated that he had the chance to meet Turgut Özal and Süleyman Demirel and that he gained experience in this regard.
Governor Hacıbektaşoğlu emphasized the importance of hard work, effort, and self-confidence and said,
“You can govern a country; you need to believe in yourself for that. Work to create value, not to earn money. Visualize success. You can add value to the country in various fields such as education, health, and engineering. Learn about your country, your history, and your faith from the source itself. Stay away from racism, xenophobia, and chauvinism.”
Noting that, along with writers such as İskender Pala, Ömer Seyfettin, and Rıfat Ilgaz, classical works of Turkish literature were included in the reading list, Hacıbektaşoğlu received great appreciation in the hall with his words, “Civilization was born in this land, you are the true bearers of civilization.” The talk continued with the Q&A session. At the end of the program, Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer presented Governor Hacıbektaşoğlu with a gift in memory of the day. The program ended with a commemorative photo.
