ISTANBUL - Beyoglu Municipality on Monday staged ''Tolerance for Peace'' March to curse terrorism following the bomb attacks in Istanbul and to celebrate the International Day for Tolerance''.
The march started as Beyoglu Mayor Kadir Topbas laid a wreath to Republican Monument in Taksim Square. Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Parliamentarian Zeynep Karahan Uslu, Beyoglu Head Official Kamil Basar, Beyoglu Mufti Turgut Acari, consul generals of France, Belgium, Russia, Ukraine, Japan and Germany in Istanbul attended the march.
Topbas said the attacks aimed at disrupting stability of the country, stating that, ''it is a sorrowful coincidence that the attacks took place one day before November 16 International Day of Tolerance.'' He said, ''as the residents of Beyoglu, we will like to stress that tolerance will overcome terrorism.''
Topbas said terrorist attacks would not prevent them from believing in the strength of tolerance, stressing that those attacks could not eliminate the love and respect which people living in this country feel to each other.
(AY) 17.11.2003