The New World is to be established by achieving wealth and peace, which will derive from the universal values created by the Silk Road

Chairman of the Board of ES Investment Ethem Sancak “The New World is to be established by achieving wealth and peace, which will derive from the universal values created by the Silk Road”*

Ethem Sancak graduated from Istanbul University, Faculty of Business Administration, in 1976. He worked as a journalist between 1976 and 1978. During his university years, he joined the Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey (TİKP) and served as the Diyarbakir Provincial Chairman with responsibility for the southeast and east. Sancak, which went into business in the following years, established ES Pharmaceutical Warehouse in 1987, Esko Itriyat in 1989, and Hedef Pharmaceutical Warehouse in 1993. Sancak founded a company called ES Financial Investment Consultancy and bought truck, bus, and military vehicle manufacturer BMC with this company. He was awarded the "Manager of the Year" in 2001 and the "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 2005, and was deemed worthy of the "National Sovereignty Outstanding Service and Honor Award" by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 2007. Sancak served as the Chairman of the Board of the Turkish Pharmaceutical Warehouses Association between 2004 and 2010. He is also a member of the Okan University Advisory Board.

*Translation: Nilgün Yorgancı How to cite: Sancak, E. (2022). The New World is to be established by achieving wealth and peace, which will derive from the universal values created by the Silk Road (Fikret Akfırat, Interviewer). BRIQ Belt & Road Initiative Quarterly, 3(4), 16-22.

"The Historical Silk Road united humanity. It united the regions with peace, not war. Not with poverty; with wealth, prosperity, taking people as a basis, loving people and not worshiping money. These are universal values that always flow from the East to the West. Today, the modern Silk Road promises the same. The other day, the Chinese Foreign Minister attended the meeting of the Organization of Islamic States and said, "We are after the construction of a new world. The basic values on which we will build the new world exist in your religion of Islam. To be based on people, to see differences as richness, to respect one's neighbor, not to dominate". The new world will be built on these values. Nobody will kill anybody. Nobody will despotate anybody. A new international system cannot be established if we cannot build the modern Silk Road. Atlanticists, money-worshippers, those who deify money, and globalists are trying to prevent the construction of the Modern Silk Road because they are aware of this. They will not succeed."

Ethem Sancak (Chairman of ES Investment) answered the questions of Fikret Akfırat, the Editor-in-Chief of BRIQ.

In this issue, we cover the theme of how the Silk the number 1 student. Since we were a well-known fa-

Road brought peoples and cultures together. We know mily, we also had a hotel. A math teacher came. A young

that you also have a special interest in this subject. officer who was expelled from Harbiye due to the 1960

Where does Ethem Sancak’s interest in archeology, Talat Aydemir coup. They drove them and gave some of

culture and history come from? them the right to teach. He was from Bursa. He came to

Ethem Sancak: It is necessary to be curious about the school that opened in Pervari as the first teacher. He’s

the past in order to predict what the future will be like. here, and he’s staying at our hotel. Anyway, Sancak Palas

You know, we used to say, “Those who don’t have a past is a 6-room hotel. I was also the manager of the hotel at

can’t have a future!” One of the famous Turkish proverbs that age. Each member of the family had a job to do. I

is: “the further you pull the arrow back, the further it was sitting at the reception until morning.

goes!” When you look at it from various angles, in Eas- The Ministry of National Education would send

tern philosophy, it is necessary to know the past to know 1001 basic works to schools. Since there was no place

the future. For example, the philosophy of the famous in the secondary school, they threw them away in our

Islamic Thinker Hz. Ali, Prophet, says: “If I am the city hotel’s warehouse. I’m at the reception and the teacher is

of knowledge, Ali is my door.” Ali emphasizes the impor- sleeping in the room opposite. He made me read a book

tance of contemplation: “Contemplation, one moment every night. There is everything in those classical works,

of contemplation, is equal to the reward of 70 years of from Sholokhov to Gorky, from Ferdowsi to Kutadgu

prayers”. They ask, “So what is contemplation”? He says: Bilig.

“contemplation is to seek answers to the questions of Since such reading began, I have developed a rea-

who am I, where do I come from, and where am I going.” ding habit. I’ve been reading from that day forward. Here

Being curious about the past must have been a di- we are, 68 years old. I read for 2-3 hours every night. Of

sease that appeared in me during my school years. When course, these readings of mine first started with a curi-

I started secondary school, I started to read Shahnameh. osity about history. The bottom of history is archeology.

Pervari Secondary School was established in 1966. I was History is written, and archeology shows the evidence.

I read an article in a newspaper about you. have not visited yet. Though now they’re not yellow

Probably in 2011. You say: “I will donate half of my anymore, they’ve turned brown.

inheritance to my 14-year-old daughter if she studies I visited all the ruins in Anatolia with special cu-

archeology…” riosity. Throughout the years. I caused the discovery of

Ethem Sancak: Knowing archeology is related some. For example, I discovered the Antandros Ancient

to knowing the future. Knowing who you are, what City in Altınoluk. The villagers and the intellectuals

is to be a man, you know, Yunus says: “Knowledge is there had established an association in Altınoluk, and

to know, knowledge is to know yourself.” Reading is I sponsored it. And that famous Antandros City appea-

to know yourself. When you want to know yourself, red. You see, together with Kenan Erim, we aroused cu-

you will know the history of humanity because every riosity about Aphrodisias. We met with teacher Kenan.

human being is a universe, and every universe is a Then, with Rahmi Koç, we became the vice pre-

human being. For a human being to know himself, sident of the Geyre Foundation, which uncovered the

he must know the whole of humanity. Of course, it is Ancient City of Aphrodisias. We still are. We sponso-

necessary to contemplate where this humanity will go. red it. I sponsored Ephesus. Ian Hodder, who exca-

Where is this humanity going? vated Çatalhöyük, is my friend from Stanford. I took

care of there, sponsored there, and worked with the British Institute of Archeology there. I reached Nem-

Anatolia is such a geography that homo rut. I am one of those who caused the emergence of

sapiens, who got up from Africa, the Zeugma. Zeugma would be flooded, and money had

womb of humanity, came to Anatolia to be found. There was no money in the state. I found

after starting to walk. Cemal Kafadar, Head of the Harvard History Depart-

ment. He was my friend. The owner of Hewlett-Pac- So, are you particularly interested in Anatolia or kard (HP) is an archaeologist. He took over the comthe world in general? pany after his father died. We got a commitment of 50

Ethem Sancak: There is no country in the world million dollars from the man, and he sent the first 10

that I have not visited yet. And I always wondered about million dollars. Then ours couldn’t fulfil the procedu-

the archeological history of the place I visited. When I re. They couldn’t get the rest of the money. Otherwise,

go to Rome, I visit the historic places and archaeologi- he had a $50 million commitment.

cal sites of Rome, and when I go to Latin America, the Göbeklitepe: Where it all began Incas and Aztecs. I visit museums and ruins there, but

in an interview, I told an archeology magazine that 90 Moreover, for example, when Göbeklitepe was first disco-

percent of the history of humanity is Anatolia. vered, I paid for the tent that was built on it. Carl Schmitt

Now, Anatolia is such a geography that homo was my friend. Even though they detained him for histo-

sapiens, who got up from Africa, the womb of huma- rical artifact smuggling, I saved him. His wife is also from

nity, came to Anatolia after starting to walk. You see, Urfa, and she is a young, highly qualified associate profes-

the North Sea was frozen, and the human race flee- sor. I convinced Ferit Şahenk. “It is a treasure for you, be a

ing from Europe came to Anatolia. Everyone came to sponsor for there. The whole world will know you. Because

Anatolia. It is unprecedented in the world. Therefore, at the end of the day, the whole world will show interest in

there is no place in Anatolia with a yellow sign that I it,” I said.

I took care of and supported Urartu in Van. The those ancient cities in Yatağan. I visit there. I spend the

World Archeology Congress was held there 4-5 days ago. 2-hour time that I separate from swimming on archeology.

I sponsored it. Mehmet Özdoğan is my very close friend, Back in the day, one day, I went to a conference of

the father of archeology. On the other day, there was a very Ekrem Akurgal. I was a young university student. He wro-

nice statement of his in the newspapers. “Gobeklitepe is te a valuable book called Aegean Civilization. It describes

where it all began,” he said. Göbeklitepe is the beginning the Aegean civilization on the map but only shows the

of the state, classification. When the North was covered findings in the Aegean. There is nothing beyond the Ae-

with glaciers, humanity fled from there 30-40 thousand gean. “You are a racist; you support westernization with a

years ago. They came to Harran then. There they discove- Tanzimat mindset.” I said to him that time. I said: “Is there

red the surplus value. Along with irrigation in the “Fertile nothing on the other side of Anatolia?” He said, “Then you

Crescent”. Surplus value gave rise to classes and the state. write that.” So, he provoked me and increased my interest

Because if there is no surplus value, there will be neither in archeology.

any state nor any classification. A correct thesis, he says it Archeology is the cornerstone of the future and we-

has no proof, but that’s what I also think. alth of a country. Now humanity is becoming conscious of

In other words, I displayed interest in archeology all it. Peasantry is coming to a close. The rate of urbanization

over Turkey and still do. Whenever possible, I still meet fa- in Turkey has been rising to 80%. What does city mean? In

mous teachers, Cengiz Işık, Harun Sağlamtimur, Aegean’s Arabic, it means Medina. Medina means civilization. Hz.

famous archaeologist. So, after Beşiktaş, my number one Mohammed founded it and turned it into a city. They cal-

hobby is archeology. Still, when I go to Bodrum, I meet all led it Medina. But the prophet founded the most democ-

the excavation heads as they are my friends. For example, ratic primitive state in history there. The most democratic.

Abuzer Kızıl is an amazing man. For example, I pass by In other words, the basis of democracy is not the

Athenian democracy in Ancient Greece. In Athenian ople looking for their past. Because wherever one lives

democracy, one out of every 30 people is free. Slaves in the world, whether Russian, Chinese, or Canadian,

have no right to vote. Or Magna Carta; It is the nobility anyone who seeks his past will come to Anatolia. There-

limiting the powers of the king. There are no peasants fore, the ruins are our oil wells in the future. Oil will run

there, no Celtic peasants. Or the French Revolution. In out in the future anyway. Even if the Ukraine-Russia

the French Revolution, opportunities were provided war hadn’t happened, this fossil fuel would have ended.

to the bourgeoise but the proletariat was not given op- Europeans have started to turn to fossil fuels compulso-

portunities. That‘s why the Paris Commune was born. rily. But at the end of the day, these are our “oil wells.”

That’s why the Paris uprising happened. This country will make money. It needs to be revived. It

is necessary to draw attention to archeology. Those who come here, looking for their past, will have an enligh- Everyone looking for their past will come tening experience. Because of this, archeology is very to Anatolia. Humanity will search for its

past and will come to Anatolia. important to knowing our past and building our future.

Turks who could unite 72 tribes But in the Medina City Document, every cition the Silk Road zen whose age is over 11 attends the Friday meetings.

Friday means to gather. Regardless of their religion, Anatolia, also known as the center of Eurasia, is the in-

every citizen, male or female, comes, and a discussi- tersection point of different continents and peoples. What

on takes place in front of the imam in the city’s pre- kind of fusion happened here? What common values did

sence. Then the discussion ends, and the worship of the Silk Road create in this geography along its path?

Allah begins. That’s why Allah reduces the noon pra- Ethem Sancak: The center of gravity of the ge-

yer from four rak’ahs to two, so you can discuss your ography where we have founded four civilizations is

problems. The noon prayer is two rak’ahs on Friday. Anatolia. The gravity center of the Roman Empire is

This is God’s message to us, saying that you discuss also Anatolia. The center of gravity of all established

your problems. And the most democratic document states is Anatolia. Here we have a classic Turkish phy-

is the Medina City Document. Civilization is the city. sical appearance, right? Pre-Turk was an almond-eyed

Of course, later, the urbanized man became an Uyghur type. Move some, and there are Kazakhs. Move

individual. He ceases to be a slave. He became an in- some more, the Azerbaijanis. Now, when you look at

dividual, and the condition of being an individual is the Turks in Anatolia, they are physiologically unlike

to know himself and to know himself, he must know any of the Turks we mentioned. And also, the Turks in

his past. Everyone looking for their past will come to the seven climates in Anatolia are not alike. Black Sea

Anatolia. Humanity will search for its past and will Turks do not resemble Aegean Turks, Konya Turks or

come to Anatolia. And this tourist looking for his Siirt Turks. Why? Because they have gotten mixed and

past, spends a lot of money as he is wealthy. Not like become multiracial people with local tribes. Because

a tourist who comes to Alanya for the sand-sea-yacht when we discovered Türbe Höyük, we cut a tomb 30

all-inclusive holiday. The archeology tourist spends a meters vertically together with a university teacher of

lot of money. Because he’s wealthy. archaeology. An Assyrian burial was found at the bot-

Therefore, there will come a day when 100-150 tom of the same tomb, and an Armenian burial was

million tourists will come here, and these will be pe- found just 2-3 meters above it. Just above it were the

burials of the Muslim Kurds currently living there. The and are a blessing from Allah to us”. The Turks un-

same village was Assyrian 3000 years ago. Later it beca- derstood this very well, and when they did, they uni-

me an Armenian, now a Muslim Kurd. ted 72 tribes that were not like them.

That is to say, Anatolia has provided this fusion The Seljuk empire consisted of 72 tribes, but the

and mixing. Now look, biologically pure races look ugly. ruling dynasty was Turkish. The Ayyubid Empire was

Biologically, the hybrid race is beautiful. The more we a Turkish empire. Its subjects were Arabs, its central

purify, the uglier we become. It makes one restricted military structure was Turkish, and the chief khan was

to a certain type of genes. In other words, the move- Kurdish. But it was a Turkish empire. Mamluk Empire’s

ment on this Silk Road makes people physiologically inhabitants were Arabs and Nubians, weren’t they? But

beautiful. Because 72 tribes moved on that Silk Road those who ruled the state were the slave Turks. The slaves

and the Turks, who were able to unite those 72 tribes, brought as Atabeys were brought to protect the caliph’s

founded 4 empires. When the Turks came to Transoxia- palace; however, they became prominent with their war-

na, they were warriors, cruel, and shepherds on horses. rior identities and seized the state. And they founded the

They were the most warlike, brutal tribes. Because they Mamluk Empire, which lasted for 400-odd years.

were fighting against nature, they were fighting against So think about it, when Bosnia and Herzegovina

the surrounding tribes. They came to Transoxiana to was Turkish, when it was Ottoman, Diyarbakir didn’t

conquer, fighting against the Arabs in Talas. belong to the Ottoman Empire. Those places belon-

By the way, Samanoğulları and the others chose ged to Mamluks because they became Ottoman with

Islam. The prophet said: “The Turks are the sword of Yavuz after 1517. Anyway, Yavuz destroyed the two

Islam. Islam cannot eliminate Arabism and cannot Turkish Empires. Arabs and Persians were hostile to

be universal unless the Turks become Muslims.” The Yavuz. However, Arabs and Persians had no conne-

prophet thought so. In fact, the Turks came, and they ction with the two empires Yavuz destroyed. The Sa-

became the tribe that best interprets Islam. Because favids were also Turks, and the Mamluks were Turks

they see that Allah says in the Qur’an: “I created you as well. By destroying the two Turkish empires, Yavuz

in groups so that you can talk and compromise.” And expanded the Ottoman Empire.

the prophet of Islam says, “differences are our wealth Therefore, the Turks acquired the culture flowing

through the Silk Road. For example, music. It was develo- universal language was Arabic at those times. But they

ped by Merâgî and Farabi. Polyphonic music came from actually were Turkish. They wrote in Arabic because the

there and was developed into Western music. Fârâbî is language of science was Arabic.

the one who discovered the 16-part note. Fârâbî is also Therefore, the historical Silk Road united humanity.

the one who made the instrument suitable for it. Merâgi What it united it with, it united it with peace, not war. It

is the one who developed it. But it went to Andalusia, and united it with wealth and prosperity, not with poverty and

from there, it moved to Spain and Europe. That is to say, destitution. It united the regions by taking the human be-

the source of polyphonic music is not the West. Polyp- ing as a basis, with love, not greed. These are the universal

honic music couldn’t be produced by the West anyway. values that always flow from the East to the West. Today

As the Romans say, they were shepherds and barbarians. too, the modern Silk Road promises this. The other day,

The Romans call everyone “barbarian” except them- the Chinese Foreign Minister attended the meeting of the

selves. They ask the Roman poet, what is barbarian, what is Organization of Islamic States and said: “We are after the

civilized? He says, “He who knows how to wash, who knows construction of a new world. The basic values with which

how to count and who knows how to eat is a civilized per- we will build the new world exist in your religion of Islam,

son; those who cannot do these are barbarians.” Barbarian taking the human being as a basis, seeing the differences as

peoples were Germans, Celts, and Franks. It is impossible richness, respecting the neighbor, but not wielding power.”

for the Barbarian peoples of Europe to produce polyphonic Lying, breaking one’s word, raping, killing people,

music. Their most advanced instrument was something si- and usury are five major sins that deserve punishment

milar to the kaval. But where does polyphonic music come in Islam. These are the greatest sins, and reasons to expe-

from? It was carried to Europe via the Silk Road. Its origin rience hell. If you perform prayer less, you don’t deserve

was mainly Chinese; the Chinese were good at music. But it hell. This is a deficiency. There may be a lack of worship.

is Fârâbî who created polyphony. Where did he get it from? But if you lie, you deserve a punishment. The Chinese

He got them from the Indian and Chinese instruments. Foreign Minister said the following. The new world will

be built on these values. No one will kill anyone. No one Great fusion on the Silk Road will despotize anyone. No one will lie as the Westerners

Through the Silk Road, not only goods were transported, do, everyone will keep their word, there will be no mur-

but also knowledge, arts, and cultures were exchanged, der, and there will be peace. These values are already Is-

and what is more, people got harmonized and united. The lamic. So who says this? The Chinese Foreign Minister

universal human character emerged. For example, Babur says. Who does he say to? He says to the Muslim states.

Khan. If you ask an Indian, he says Babur was an Indian. If we cannot build the modern Silk Road, a new in-

If you ask an Arab, he says Babur was an Arab. If you ask ternational system cannot be established. Atlanticists, mo-

Persians, they say Babur was a Persian. If you ask Afg- ney-worshippers, those who deify money, and globalists

hans, he says he was an Afghan. Babur was a Turk. Fuzuli, have already been trying to prevent the construction of the

Babur, Yusuf Has Hacib, Mahmud of Ghazni… So why Modern Silk Road as they are aware of this. They will not be

was everyone Turkish? For example, recently, an Arab, able to succeed. History develops independently of human

who was arguing these issues, said, “Islamic scholars who will. History is a river, and the individual cannot prevent it.

lived between 800 and 1200 were great scholars, and from The intelligent individual senses this and acts according-

one point of view, they were Arabs.” The majority of the- ly. The foolish individual stands before it and falls. So no

ir works were written in Arabic. But it was because the power can stop it. This is the flow of history.