The World Needs the Belt and Road, and the Belt and Road Needs Poetry

The World Needs the Belt and Road, and the Belt and Road Needs Poetry

HÜSEYİN HAYDAR

Hüseyin Haydar was born in 1956 in Trabzon. He studied economics and finance. He worked as a member of the editorial board and as a technical director in YAZKO’s (Writers' and Translators' Cooperative) Literature and Translation magazines. His first poetry collection, Acı Türkücü, won the 1981 Academy’s First Prize for Poetry. He has won several awards for his books: TROYA Poetry Award 2012, Ahmet Necdet Poetry Award 2012, Yunus Nadi Poetry Award 2012, Enver Gökçe Poetry Award 2013. He served as a member and visual director of the Ulusal Kanal Broadcasting Board and as a member of the Turkish Writers’ Union (TYS) Board. He prepared and presented the TV program titled Literature Front at Ulusal Kanal. He is a member of the Patriotic Party Central Ruling Board and the National Science Strategy Center. He has been publishing his poems every week in his column titled Poet's Toil in Aydınlık newspaper for ten years.

It may prove most difficult of all to uproot enmities and reactionary ideas and prejudices that in some cases have been nurtured over hundreds of years. In working towards resolution of these conflicts, we must look to culture and the arts and make use of their potential.

TAKING ITS INSPIRATION FROM THE pose the greater risk. It may prove most difficult of

historical Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative all to uproot enmities and reactionary ideas and

(BRI) sets out China’s aims for the future and its prejudices that in some cases have been nurtured

methods of achieving these, while at the same time over hundreds of years. In working towards resolu-

providing Asian nations on the rise with the poten- tion of these conflicts, we must look to culture and

tial to realise their economic and cultural dreams. the arts and make use of their potential.

It is especially the latter notion that has served to

arouse the interest of many historically oppressed The World Needs the

nations who are now developing economically and Belt and Road Initiative

who view the BRI as a pathway to fulfilling their In these early years of the 21st century, we are wit-

needs and aspirations. As the BRI takes ambitious nessing many Asian nations struggle to free them-

steps towards spanning continents, the philosophy selves from the West’s meddlesome and exploitative

on which it is founded overlaps closely with the practices, and it would appear that the launch of the

notions of sharing and inclusiveness that have tra- BRI in 2013 by China’s President Xi Jinping offers

ditionally been a feature of human society in Asia. hope to oppressed peoples and developing nations

Indeed, at the very moment when the West’s im- that a path can be forged through the ‘iron moun-

position of policies of exploitation, aggression and tains’ they face.

discrimination is failing, the BRI appears to offer At the time of the Maoist revolution in China,

a peaceful, unifying and communal vision of the Mao himself referred to the Ergenekon of Turkish

world based on these Asian values. From its begin- mythology when he declared; “We will cross over

nings, the BRI has garnered the attention and trust the iron pass”, and we can echo this mythology in

of many great intellectuals, and in the eyes of many explaining the events of today, as oppressed peoples

nations is seen as a path by which they may deliver engage in an international movement to break the

themselves from the hegemony of the West. chains that have bound them. Indeed, we may refer

Primarily, the BRI invites developing nations to the BRI in terms of an ‘International Ergenekon’.

and oppressed peoples who feel the need for revolu- The BRI is a call for revolutionary change. It is

tionary change to come to agreement on fundamen- historically rooted, yet deeply relevant today and, as

tal shared interests. This, of course, is a challenging such, has found itself many supporters in the intel-

process, given that there exist conflicts of interest lectual world. Among these is myself, and my poem

both materially and non-materially. The former ‘The Awaited Call’ is a celebration of my heartfelt

may be more easily overcome, but it is the latter that belief in this project:

H ü s e y in H a y da r, T he Wor ld N eeds the B elt a nd R oa d , a nd the B elt a nd R o a d N eeds Po e tr y

The awaited call has come, and made tyrants sheathe

their swords. "By placing harmony, fellowship

Come! Open your doors and extend your hands. and the transmission of friendship

Do you know from whom, from which hero, to future generations at the core of its

the call has come? principles, the BRI also serves notice to

It is a comrade’s letter, a scorched letter of love, warmongers."

that has come, nally come of age2, and nations to usher in an era in passing over the bones of fallen heroes that shine on stony mountainsides, which imperialism has ceased to be, the powers of

over the heights and rivers of the steppe, production have been liberated and societies move

not from the hands of mortal gods, but from towards the principles of socialism.

immortal people. By placing harmony, fellowship and the trans-

The awaited call has come, and it is from our mission of friendship to future generations at the

comrade-in-destiny China. core of its principles, the BRI also serves notice to

The commander-in-chief of armies flowing with warmongers. In a September 2013 speech in Ka-

the Yellow River zakhstan, President Jinping’s words were of parspeaks to us not of starstruck, but of earthbound plans ticular significance to Turkey and Turkic peoples of to lift the rock of death from Asia’s breast. Asia: Speaks to us of homes reliant on each other, with dreams from door to door. “Through peaceful development, China is de-

Speaks to us of the shared happiness we can embrace termined to maintain its policy of independence

along the paths beneath our feet as the children of a and peace in all its foreign relations. China respects

greater family.1 the freedom of all nations to choose the domestic

and foreign policy paths they follow as they develop.

China’s President Xi Jinping has spoken to We will never intervene in the domestic affairs of

us sincerely of how his nation hopes to forge “a any Central Asian nation. We neither seek to estab-

greater family with shared goals”, and it now falls lish Chinese spheres of influence nor to impose any

on us to transmit his message to millions of oth- directional will on regional affairs. Instead, working

ers. We must respond to the call of the BRI, and in alongside Russia and all Central Asian countries, we

doing so take ownership of its concepts and mes- are ready to tirelessly engage in efforts to develop

sage with openness, honesty and truth. communication and coordination with the ultimate

Enriched with multi-faceted opportunities, the goal of regional harmony.”3

BRI has appeared on the world stage at a turning The BRI also offers oppressed and develop-

point in history, offering both intellectual value and ing nations the opportunity to make revolutionary

solutions to the needs of the developing world. changes on the national level. Hence, it leaves no

Associated with the notion of a socialism spe- space for any potential notions of hegemony, but in-

cific to China, the BRI also provides a chance for stead offers a platform on which nations can discuss

national democratic revolutionary movements to fi- and develop shared interests in a shared destiny.

1 The Awaited Call will appear in its entirety in the Culture & Arts section of upcoming issues of BRIQ. (Ed.)

3 Xi, Jinping. (2017). Çin’in Yönetim. İstanbul: Kaynak Yay. p. 338.

The Belt and Road Needs Poetry This international enterprise needs too to find expression through artistic endeavours. As poets, we may provide a helping hand in resolving challenges that the BRI faces, some of which may appear to be beyond the world of politics. The poets of the Belt and Road must play their part in awakening consciences. In times of struggle, the job of poets and their works is to stir the conscience with which we all come into this world and which lies at the heart of our living together as individuals in societies throughout the world. Hence, in the progress of any Yunus Emre society, conscientious responsibility plays a central

role in defending truth, and it is both the job and red and green adorned bride on whom we never tire

power of poetry to awaken instincts of sound judge- of gazing”.

ment and the human conscience. In reflecting the human spirit, poetic works re-

flect reality, and thus allow us glimpses of the future. As the BRI seeks to win people’s hearts and minds,

"The aim of poetry and words is to use the revolutionary change it brings and the human

their power to bring about a world consciences it wishes to awaken must be clearly re-

in which peace reigns, in which no flected. The human conscience is revolutionary, and

human being is exploited or killed by poetry, as one of its products, is a revolutionary vir-

another; a war-free, exploitation-free tue. Indeed, this is what has granted poetry its speunified world." cial place throughout human history.

The aim of poetry and words is to use their For all that they can bring to this project there-

fore, art and poetry are of great value and imporpower to bring about a world in which peace reigns, tance to the BRI. It is true that bringing together in which no human being is exploited or killed by peoples of differing understandings, faiths and culanother; a war-free, exploitation-free unified world. tures to a common goal is no easy task. Throughout This is the role indeed that all art forms have played history, all great revolutions and transformational

throughout human history. social movements have come about only by means

This, then, is why poets must have this aim at of revolutionary war and revolutionary cultural and

the heart of their creative endeavours during their art going hand in hand.

lifetime. Protecting today’s world of nation-states The Chinese revolutionary leader, Chairman

will mean protecting the ‘One World’ of tomorrow, Mao said; “In our struggle for the Chinese people,

our world, which Yunus Emre4 has described as “a there are several fronts, among which are the pen

4 Yunus Emre (1238-1321): One of the greatest poets of Turkish language. He lived during the Crusades to West Asia, the Mongol

invasions spreading to Anatolia and the long wars caused by the establishment of the Ottoman Empire.

H ü s e y in H a y da r, T he Wor ld N eeds the B elt a nd R oa d , a nd the B elt a nd R o a d N eeds Po e tr y

and the sword, in other words, the cultural and the ethno-cultural trap. The BRI organises itself in

the military fronts. In order to defeat the enemy such a way as to encourage each nation to stand to-

we must rely on the army. But the army by itself is gether in a united defence against these reactionary

not sufficient. We must combine our efforts and to attacks. Our job as poets is to confront these attacks at

truly defeat the enemy we must also have a cultural their origin by creating the artistic and cultural ‘belt’

army.”5 for this new world.

There is now great urgency to the work of poets “Long live One Road, One Belt, One Thousand

of the Belt and Road, and that is the driving force Poets!”

behind our call to come and create together a Com-

munity of Poets of the Silk Road. Time for Poets to Come Forward

With democratic, revolutionary and commu- News, good and bad, arriving each day from different nal culture and the power of poetry, we can fend off regions in Eurasia tells us that the BRI is a growing influence in the world as peoples recognise the need

"We must remember that no great for such a movement. The path towards power and

historical mass movement has resource sharing for nation states is being opened up

succeeded when lacking the support and secured by the BRI.

of art and poetry." It is only through art, literature and poetry that

any cultural and artistic attacks by imperialism and long-standing, long-nurtured prejudices between

reactionary ideas in their attempts to make us fail. peoples can be overcome. If great Russian literature

Poetry must especially work to awaken the human and Turkey’s national literature had not been penned,

conscience. It must work to cleanse it of any selfish- then Russia and Turkey would still be at the mercy of

ness or fear and replace these with courage and joy. Tzar and Sultan, with the mind-sets of that age, and

Poetry gives direction and courage to people as they their respective revolutions having never come about.

move towards the future, it brings forth virtuous Inspired by the BRI, the natural love of poetry

thinking and action, and without its power the BRI among Asian nations can become a transformative

will remain soulless and stunted. We must remem- power in the hands of poets. This is why we poets

ber that no great historical mass movement has suc- must now formally organise ourselves so we can

ceeded when lacking the support of art and poetry. come to the fore and unite peoples.

Only with its own literature and poetry, can Just as great social movements throughout his-

the BRI ‘body’ feed itself and grow healthily, with a tory have needed poetry, so too does the BRI now. If

heartfelt unity throughout its many variations. If we we as poets are trying to do what President Xi Jinping

fail in this task, the result inevitably will be a ‘body’ says is the need “to grow the soft power of culture and

that is truncated, awkward, lacking harmony in its provide moral support to the world”, then the “The

various operations, and with its dream unfulfilled. Poetry Belt of the Silk Road” gives us this oppor-

For many years now, globalist imperialism has tunity. Poetry can enter hearts in ways that politics

spread only by working to undermine the develop- cannot. If we want to weave a silken path to a more

ment and even destroy the accumulated cultural free and ethical future for humanity, then as poets we

and artistic capital of peoples, and draw them into must set to work.

A CALL TO POETS ON THE BELT AND ROAD

I write from Turkey, the greatest bridge in Eurasia, to use of this language of humanity. We don’t need to at-

poets of the East and the West. I call on the armies of tend courses or schools because our minds and hearts

poets living within the borders of Belt and Road coun- understand it.

tries, poets who serve and are masters of the poetic We can create wonderful land, sea and air path-

tradition, to collaborate. Now more than ever are po- ways from continent to continent and it is important

ets needed as humankind strives to emerge from the that we do so. Along these, peoples and cultures will shadows of imperialist hegemony. With the power our travel, so come and let us make these pathways of the peoples have granted us, let us work together do what heart, come and let us make lives easier. Come and let we must for the future of humankind.

In the words of the greatest poet of Asia, Yunus us add wings to our hearts and fly towards our shared

Emre: “Come let us know each other and make our future. This is how pathways from heart to heart can

lives easier”. Let us all listen to his sacred words and be created, and it is how mountains and seas can be

remain faithful to their call for collaboration. Let us crossed.

come together from the cities of the Belt and Road and All along these pathways people will need the lan-

create an assembly in which we can get to know each guage of poetry and the heart, and we call on the poets

other and look each other in the eye. We’ll soon see of the Belt and Road to play their role by establishing

that we can overcome challenges. Eight hundred years themselves in. Come and let us express our joys and

ago as he witnessed battles between East and West, sorrows in the healing language of poetry. Let us have Yunus summed up the knowledge we can search for in apple trees blossoming in winter and streams flowing a thousand books by telling us simply; “Let us love and in the dry steppe. be loved. The world will belong to no one”. We aim to have world poets come together in the A Turkish proverb tells us; “Lives end, but jour-

neys never end”. It does not encourage us to take each Silk Road Poetry Associations in order for us to open

day as it comes, but refers instead to the ceaseless hu- doors and create mountain passes to a shared future.

man struggle to reach fulfilment and create the fu- Let the Silk Road be the road to our house and our

ture. Today, we are taking our first determined steps village. Come let us hold the hand of our future child-

towards the future along the New Silk Road, and we hood and set off on a journey to a ceaseless eternal life.

will be moving along this path for generations to come. I call poets of the Belt and Road to duty. It’s time

This is the new path which lies close to the heart for poets of the 21st century to emerge. Come and let

of President Xi Jinping; “The path towards the building us set to work bracing ourselves with the spirit, brav-

of a shared future for humanity”. Does anyone know ery and goodness of the great Eurasian poets. Come of another path that can lead us to peace, well-being and let us set up the Silk Road Poetry Belt. Come, Li and tolerance rather than fear, poverty and contempt? Bai, Rudeki, Yunus, Goethe and Shakespeare. Come, As songs are sung and poems read, and people em-

brace each other on the Belt and Road, journeys will Pushkin, Nazım and Lu Sun.

be pleasant, distances will be diminished and lives will Let hearts take flight and distances diminish. Let

be extended. longing come to an end. If we cannot make the Silk

We share a language; that of the heart, poetry and Road the road to Paradise, then let us all be damned

humanity. It’s not a difficult language. We can all speak together. Long live “One Road, One Belt, One Thou-

and understand it perfectly, so come and let us make sand Poets”.