Turkish author reflects on her past

By Christina Katsifas
Collegian Staff
April 5, 2006

The Diplomat in Residence Program hosted Turkish author and translator, Sen Sahir Silan, on April 3.

She addressed students and faculty on the publication of her memoir titled I Do Not Regret. She also gave a brief background of her life.

As the daughter of a parliamentarian and a colleague of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, Salin was raised in a political household.

Salin studied sociology and journalism at Simmons College, where she says she “understood the importance of being educated.” She also concentrated on English and foreign languages at Ankara University in Turkey. She worked for the Taiwanese Consulate General in Boston and for Turkey’s U.N. Ambassador at the United Nations.

During her lecture, Salin said that she is a spiritual woman, but does not practice any particular religion.

“I certainly believe in God, but I love all people and do not practice religion,” she said.

While Salin had several reasons for writing her book, the foremost was the request of her oldest grandchild.

“I wrote it to give my family some help in their difficult times,” she said. “Everyone has difficult times in their life at some point, and I wanted my grandchildren to say, ‘well mom did it, grandma did it, so we can do it.’”

Though it was intended specifically as a message to her family, Salin received a tremendous response after the publication that included about 3,000 telephone calls, e-mails and letters.

“I got a phone call one day from a man who lost his son and called me to find out how to deal with it,” Salin said. “I realized that it [the publication] was help to some people.”
The book was then translated into English because of the exceptional reactions that it had received.

“I wanted my experiences to be an inspiration,” Salin said.

Salin’s lecture also included a discussion on Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey’s first President who declared a Turkish Republic in 1923 and aided in the modernization of Turkey.

“I am not a fascist, a communist, or a racist,” she said. “I am a follower of Ataturk.”

Among the popular reforms initiated under Ataturk was a clothing reform that permitted women to take off their veils and dress in European clothing. It also led to new civil rights for women and gave then voting privileges.

“All that I am is what Ataturk gave me,” Silan said.
Silan’s memoir has already been published 11 times in Turkey.

“I am so grateful that life has given me difficulties or else I would not be who I am today,” Silan said.

She then supplied the audience with some thoughtful advice saying, “Do not fear fighting. It makes you a person. Being able to achieve is a beautiful thing.”

katsifasc1@lasalle.edu