In January 2007, Paul Wolfowitz, then President of the World Bank, visited the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, Turkey. The mosque, built in the 16th century, is a historic landmark, and visitors are required to remove their shoes before entering.When Wolfowitz took off his shoes, people noticed that his grey socks had large holes in them, with his toes clearly visible.
The moment instantly became amusing, and photographers quickly captured images of his socks and exposed toes.The photos were soon published in newspapers and websites around the world, from Turkey to Sydney and Chicago. Many people found the incident funny, and it turned into a light-hearted international news story.The story didn’t end there. Turkish sock manufacturers saw the reports and decided to step in. The deputy head of the
Turkish Socks Producers Association announced that they would send Wolfowitz 12 new pairs of socks. He jokingly added that if Wolfowitz had worn high-quality Turkish socks, he wouldn’t have had holes in them.This event illustrates that even prominent world leaders have very human and relatable moments. It also shows how a small, everyday issue like worn-out socks can capture global attention when captured by the media. Wolfowitz’s visit to the Selimiye Mosque is now remembered not only for its official purpose, but also for this humorous sock incident — a story that people still talk about years later.-+–
