From Sultanahmet Square to Mongolia: East-West Friendship Rally Meeting of Civilisations on the Silk Road

Setting off from Sultanahmet Square, the East-West Friendship Rally started a journey full of friendship and culture from Türkiye to Mongolia with 30 competitors. The rally aims to strengthen ties between civilisations.

The East-West Friendship Rally, one of the most prestigious car rallies in the world, is organised this year under the name "from the Danube to the Orkhon Valley, Silk Road & Silk Road Rally 2024". This year's route of the rally will start from Sultanahmet Square in the heart of Istanbul, passing through various countries of Europe and Asia and extending to the Orkhon Inscriptions of Mongolia. As the starting point of this great rally, Sultanahmet Square draws attention with its historical and cultural significance and assumes a symbolic role as the meeting point of East and West.

This prestigious rally will be attended by 30 competitors from Germany, Austria, Italy, Moldova and Türkiye. The competitors will set off from Sultanahmet Square to explore the historical and cultural richness of Türkiye and race in a challenging track extending to Mongolia. The route of the rally is more than just a race track, it offers a journey full of history and culture.

It is no coincidence that Sultanahmet Square was chosen for this rally. The Square is one of the most important historical areas of İstanbul, home to the most magnificent monuments of the Ottoman Empire. Competitors will pass around world heritage sites such as Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace and breathe the atmosphere of these cultural riches. This important point of the rally symbolises the cultural dialogue and interaction between civilisations.

The rally focuses on social and cultural tasks along the route rather than speed competition. The event is organised by the East-West Friendship Rally Association with the support of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Organised in cooperation with the Silk Road Rally Association, a German car club, this event contributes significantly to the international promotion of Türkiye. The contestants will have the opportunity to get to know the culture, traditions and people of each country they pass through.

The organisers of the rally stress that this event aims to initiate a new dialogue between cultures and that the interaction of Eastern and Western civilisations must be rediscovered by new generations. The rally, which sets out with the slogan "No West without the East and No East without the West", symbolises the gathering of two great civilisations. Today, these two different geographies are located at the meeting point of great civilisations that have all the clues of each other's interaction, and this interaction contains important clues for the world of the future.

Starting from Sultanahmet Square and proceeding along the Silk Road, this rally is not only a race but also a mission to build a bridge between civilisations. The belief that the participants will strengthen cultural ties as volunteer ambassadors of Türkiye when they return to their countries after the rally is emphasised. This rally aims to contribute to the better recognition of Türkiye and the Turkic Republics in the international arena, while at the same time pioneering the better promotion of Türkiye, known for its multicultural structure, in Europe.

The route of the race starts from Sultanahmet Square, passes through different cities in Türkiye and finally reaches the Orkhon Inscriptions in Mongolia. This route is a modern exploration of the Silk Road that stretches from the depths of history to the present day. Competitors will be intertwined with nature, culture and history during this historical journey.

The organisers say that bridging the gap between Eastern and Western civilisations is particularly important at a time of war in Europe and the Middle East. This rally is organised to strengthen friendships in the geography where two great civilisations settled, to enable people to understand each other better and most importantly to introduce cultural richness to new generations. This epic journey from Sultanahmet Square to Mongolia will offer an unforgettable experience for both contestants and viewers.