Minister Göktaş announced that seven Syrian children under state care and protection in Damascus were entrusted to Syrian authorities after the social assessment process. Göktaş said the children comprised three girls and four boys.
Göktaş said the children had family ties in Syria and that the voluntary return process had been launched under the memorandum of understanding signed between Türkiye and Syria. She emphasized that ensuring the children grow up in loving and safe environments was the top priority.
Children are expected to reunite with their families
Göktaş said the environment a child needs most is a loving family setting, adding that they aimed to reunite Syrian children with family ties with their families. Göktaş said she believed the children would have a peaceful and happy future and noted that the work would continue in line with the best interests of the children.
Göktaş said the children's return processes had been launched as Syria moved toward stability and relations between the two countries improved. She announced that, after the necessary social assessments are completed, other groups of children would also return to Syria gradually.
Göktaş said cooperation under the memorandum between Türkiye and Syria would continue in many areas, adding that efforts concerning women, children, people with disabilities and older people would be developed together with Syria's Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.
Hayat Melodisi Orphanage visited
During her visit to Damascus, Göktaş also visited the Hayat Melodisi Orphanage, the children's new residence. Göktaş was accompanied by Syria's Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Kabawat and Türkiye's Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yılmaz.
The two ministers held a press conference after visiting the orphanage and handing the children over to Syrian authorities. Göktaş also said they would perform Friday prayers at the Umayyad Mosque, visit the Elderly Care Center and discuss efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Kabawat: People come before stone and concrete
Hind Kabawat said efforts to protect families and children were important to cooperation between Türkiye and Syria. Kabawat said the reconstruction process was not limited to rebuilding buildings, adding that people came before stone and concrete.
Kabawat said Türkiye had hosted millions of Syrians during the years of war and crisis and thanked Türkiye for its support and hospitality. Emphasizing that the family was the fundamental building block of society, Kabawat said Türkiye and Syria had signed an agreement on protecting the family in May 2025, followed by a memorandum of understanding to continue work with the relevant ministry.
Kabawat said cross-border cooperation between the two countries would continue and that they aimed to conduct joint work in more areas in the future. She thanked Türkiye's Embassy in Damascus and Ambassador Nuh Yılmaz, and highlighted the importance of the Hayat Melodisi Orphanage, where the children would be received.
Kabawat said work would be carried out at the orphanage to reunite the children with their families and protect their future, adding that the children would receive Arabic lessons and translation services related to Türkiye would be provided.
