Enes Guzel was born and grew up in Istanbul, Turkey. After finishing his high school, he went to Canada to pursue his university education. He lived and studied in Canada for 2 years, at the University of Alberta. However, due to the long distance between Turkey and Canada, Enes decided to pursue his university career in London.
He studied politics at the University of Greenwich and finished his degree with First Class Honours. The following year, he completed his Master’s degree in European politics at the London School of Economics. During his university years, he co-founded My Life My Say as its President which is now one of the biggest youth organisations in the UK focusing on youth empowerment through greater political engagement and democratic participation. He is now a PhD candidate at the University of Istanbul and the founding President of The Circle Foundation, a novel initiative that aims to empower the Turkish-speaking diaspora through deeper integration via political engagement and democratic participation in the UK.
Questions:
Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?
Even though I was born and grew up in Istanbul, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, my immediate answer to this question would be London. London presents vast opportunities to anyone who has got dreams to achieve, regardless of their background, race, nationality, or religion. This is thanks to London’s ability to accommodate and being able to transform the difference and diversity into richness and harmony.
2. What are your proudest achievements?
I would say my proudest achievements would be the creation of My Life My Say. As a young international student at the age of 20 who had recently moved to the country for pursuing his education, I masterminded an idea that has become a great movement sweeping all over the UK today. I am very proud that an organisation which is a product of mine has become a voice of young people and defending the rights of British youth today.
3. What inspires you?
My biggest source of inspiration is being able to help the community. The prophet Muhammad says “the most blessed person of the mankind is the one who is beneficial to his community.” Therefore, the more I help the community to grow and make it stronger the more I’m inspired to the more for them.
4. What has been biggest obstacle in your career?
Just like anyone who is away from his homeland and his family, I also had some obstacles, however through family and friends’ support I was able to overcome all the obstacles.
5. Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
My parents are the biggest source of influence on me. One of the things that strike me the most is that, even though I am not coming from a very rich family, my parents is being an owner middle-sized business in Turkey, they did not hesitate even a second to send me abroad and spend a great amount of money for my education. They always told me that the most profitable investment that parents can make for their children is the the investment on their education. Their unconditional support for my career is the main architect of my success today.
6. What is the best aspect about your current role?
The best aspect of my current role as the president of Circle Foundation is that being able to empower a community that is one of the most underrepresented ethnic minority groups in the UK. The Turkish community has one of the fewest political representatives in British politics and thus has the lowest voice. My role aims to strengthen them through political integration and democratic participation so that their voice will be heard louder.
7. And the worst?
The idea of Circle Foundation is a novel initiative that has never been tried before. Therefore, when you want to implement a new idea or an initiative, you may encounter with some resistance or obstacles from the people around you. It is often difficult to make people believe that your initiative will succeed. But I strongly believe that circle foundation will achieve its aims just like I believed strongly in My Life My Say.
8. What are your long-term goals?
I would like to help the Turkish speaking diaspora to become a fully integrated in British society, beneficial to the country economically, socially, and politically. And I want a community that represents its own rights and interests in political sphere.
9. If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
Britain is becoming more ethnically, racially, and religiously diverse. And this is an advantage for the country. If I were the Prime Minister, I would promote greater ethnic minority representation and support more projects that will give them opportunity to integrate to the decision-making process. Because the country has a lot to benefit from the ethnic minority communities. The potential should be used in utmost degree.
10. If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
I would want to be with a famous philosopher Aristotle. I personally love studying political philosophy and would want to learn politics from one the greatest political philosophers in the world.
