The Eminent Services Award of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) for which Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem was nominated as a worthy candidate was handed over to him by the Parliamentary Speaker Bülent Arınç at a parliamentary ceremony on May 2. The ceremony was also attended by the Syriac Orthodox Kadim Congregation Spiritual Leader Istanbul Metropolitan Yusuf Çetin, Syriac Orthodox Catholic Church Patriarch Corea Bishop Yusuf Sağ and Mardin Deyrulzafaran Metropolitan Saliba Özmen, and emphasis was given to the brotherhood existing between religions and cultures in Mardin and messages of friendship were issued. Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem stated that this award is of utmost meaning for the Erdem family which places its loyalty to the state above everything else, adding that this great title would be a source of pride to them for many years to come.

Eminent Services Award
The Diwan of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey which convened under the chairmanship of parliamentary speaker of Bülent Arınç on April 24 this year decided that the Parliamentary Culture, Arts and Publications Council should determine the persons and entities which had made major contributions to their own provinces and people and, consequently, to Turkey. The awards which were awarded for the first time since the foundation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey were described as extremely meaningful and honorable. The persons and entities honored in the ceremony apart from Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem are as follows: Güler Sabancı, Şakir Eczacıbaşı, Ahmet Çalık, Prof. Dr. Metin Sözen, Oral Baytok, Recai Gizer, Mehmet Erdemoğlu, Ömer Duruk, Zehra-Emine Kadıköylüoğlu, Cemil Özgür, Ahmet Eren, izzet Baysal Foundation, ibrahim Bodur, Hacı Ali Akın, Abdülkadir Konukoğlu, Mehmet Tekerlek, Süheyla Tahanoğlu, Prof. Dr. Sabahaddin Zaim, Salih işgören, MADO (Kahramanmaraş Yaşar Icecream), Hacı Boydak, Refik Altaş, Neşet Ertaş, Kazım Yılmaz, Şevket Yardımcı.

World city Mardin and the Erdem Family
Mardin has embraced a multitude of civilizations under its identity as a crossroads where seven languages have been spoken over a 7000-year span, seven religions preached and seven different cultures blended by hosting various ethnic groups and sects. Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem is civilian diplomat from Mardin. He is a politician and businessman who has adopted the mission of reflecting the wealthy historical legacy of Turkey and Mardin as well as their modern, pacifist, conciliatory and civilized face to the world in the best possible way. Mardin has always occupied a very special place in the lives of the Erdem family. In 2004, Erdem Holding ordered the major portion of Mardin (Savur) streets to be covered with cobblestone befitting their historical patterns. The "Mardin Photo Exhibition" sponsored by Erdem Holding which opened on January 17 this year at the Atatürk Culture Center received great coverage. As the most beautiful example of the brotherhood of religions and languages in the world, the fifth edition of the book containing photos of the city Mardin ran out rapidly. The city which attracts more tourists year after year prepares to host many more local and foreign guests this year in the aftermath of the "Mardin" Photo Exhibition.

36-year blood feud brought to an end
The ongoing blood feud which started between the Boran and Ayaz families 36 years because of an dispute was ended on November 28,2004 thanks to the conciliatory efforts of Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem. Hüsamettin Boran and Eşref Ayaz shook hands on behalf of their families for the sake of peace, taking an important step for the future of their children and setting a beautiful example to the other families in the region. We hope that the people of Mardin will live in peace for long years, and continue to be the shining example of a civilization for the world about the harmonization of religions, languages and cultures.