Yunus Emre Institute
Yunus Emre Enstitüsü – London Meet the Author Series continued with the introduction of the book The Unknown Fallen by Luc Ferier.
Yunus Emre Enstitüsü – London hosted the author Luc Ferier for the introduction of his book the Unknown Fallen which focuses on Muslim soldiers from all continents fighting with the Allied forces in battlefields far away from their home and the friendships between these soldiers in the middle of an ongoing war.
The event started with the speech of the author Luc Ferier with a brief introduction of his book and emphasis on the universal values.
Ferier who is also the founder and chairman of the Forgotten Heroes 14-19 Foundation, said about his book that the reason he wrote the book was to highlight the Muslim soldiers and labourers who were at least 4 million in number from all over the world who fought with the Allied forces with dignity and honour during the World War 1, and also to foster dialogues which are truly transnational, multicultural and interfaith, between peoples of different nations, religions, languages and identities.
The Forgotten Heroes 14-19 Foundation’s founder and author, Luc Ferier, also underlined the importance of such books in today`s Europe where there is rise in racism and discrimination.
“Muslims are portrayed as the enemy within, that they are recent arrivals who have never made a valuable contribution to Europe. But we can show that they have sacrificed their lives for a free Europe, have helped to make it what it is and that they have a right to be here,” said Ferier.
The book contains illustrations by renowned Swiss portrait artist Eugène Burnand (1850 – 1921) and hundreds of photographs of mainly Muslim soldiers who fought in the Great War. The images are accompanied by first-hand testimonials and stories of Muslim and non-Muslim soldiers who fought with the Allied forces.
The talk held at the exhibition hall of Yunus Emre Enstitüsü-London ended with a short Q&A session.