Turks urged to "hold on to life" to confront terror attacks

Turkey's entertainment and business sectors urged people to maintain a high morale on Thursday and not to isolate themselves in the face of growing terrorist attacks.

Four civil society organizations, the United Brands Association, the Chain Stores Association, the Turkish Restaurants and Entertainment Association as well as the Restaurants and Suppliers Union, launched a campaign in Istanbul, Turkey's most populous city hit hard by terrorism, calling for Turks to "hold on to your life."

The campaign urges all Turkish society sectors and citizens to keep up their usual daily activities, despite the threat of repeated deadly attacks.

"We invite them to go out, to dine out, go to cinemas and have fun," Sinan Oncel, head of the United Brands Association, said during a press briefing.

"Let's fill the streets, theaters, entertainment locations and continue living a normal rhythm of life," added Oncel.

A deluge of deadly attacks, in particular the mass shooting which targeted a night club in Istanbul on New Year's Eve, killing 39 civilians, has scared many citizens away from public places.

With the lone gunman still at large, tips have trickled in, with one prompting a police search to suspend the metro service for hours in Istanbul on Wednesday.

Under the "hold on to your life" campaign, Turks are also asked to video and share their videos on social media as they enjoy their outside recreational activities.

"We will not be defeated by those intending to lock us behind closed doors," said Alp Onder Ozpamukcu, Chain Stores Association Chief.

Kaya Demirer, head of the Turkish Restaurants and Entertainment Association, appealed to the international community to support Turkish citizens living under the threat of terrorism.

In support of the campaign, movie stars, singers and prominent figures from Turkey's sports sector, shared videos showing them shopping, dinning at restaurants or enjoying their time with friends in coffee shops.

Some 500 people were killed in about 40 deadly attacks throughout Turkey in the past one and a half years.

source: Xinhua