Emina Erdogan's headscarf was the reason she was not allowed into the NATO summit.

Turkey's mainstream media are recalling an incident from twenty-two years ago related to the life of the country's first lady, Emine Erdoğan, which has resurfaced in public memory. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

According to reports, during the NATO summit held in Istanbul in 2024, Emine Erdoğan was not invited to the official reception hosted for state and government leaders due to her wearing a headscarf. This situation reflected the unique political climate of that period.

At the time, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was serving as the head of Turkey's government. The official invitation sent to him was issued for only one person, and the participation of his spouse was not considered.

Turkish press has evaluated this incident as both a distinctive diplomatic approach of that era and a stance taken in relation to national values. The event remained one of the central topics of social debate in the country for many years.

Now, twenty-two years later, Turkey has once again hosted an influential NATO summit. However, this scene was completely different from the previous one.

Emine Erdoğan, who had previously been kept away from official receptions due to her style of dress and national values, now personally welcomed world leaders and their spouses at the Presidential Palace. This meeting was not merely a diplomatic event, but has become an important occurrence indicating the path the country has traveled since that era.

Turkey's mainstream media interpret this historical change as a symbolic reflection of the country's political and social reforms. The incident confirms that freedoms have expanded in society and that the state's attitude toward national identity at the protocol level has completely changed.

Today, Turkey's first lady is recognized not only as a representative of the country on the international stage, but also as a role model of a woman faithful to her values.