Announcements

June 04, 2026 Application Deadline Extended - VII. INTERNATIONAL MAARIF PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

The International Maarif Photography Contest is an artistic competition organized with the participation of students, teachers, and staff from Maarif Schools and Educational Centers. The contest aims to enable participants to present visual content and photographic compositions in line with a specified theme on an international platform, while fostering their interest in the art of photography.THEMEThe VII International Maarif Photography Contest will be held under the theme of “Kindness.”GOALSThe International Maarif Photography Contest is intended to be held annually as an international competition with the participation of our students and staff. It aims to support participants in improving their artistic and visual perspectives in the field of photography.SCOPEOrganized annually around a specific theme, the contest includes students, teachers, and staff within Maarif Schools and Educational Institutions, as well as all employees working at the Foundation Headquarters.APPLICATION METHODThe contest consists of two categories: Students and Staff.Participants can apply online by completing the application form and uploading their photographs via:www.eyesofmaarif.comTECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHS Resolution and Size: Minimum 300 dpi, at least 1920×1080 pixels (landscape/portrait) Format: JPEG, PNG or similar formats Color: Color or black-and-white submissions are accepted Editing: Photos must be submitted in their original, unaltered form Content: Must align with the theme and demonstrate strong narrative quality Originality: Must be original and not previously submitted to other competitions Copyright: Award-winning works’ publication and usage rights are jointly owned by the artist and Turkish Maarif Foundation and cannot be transferred to third parties TERMS OF PARTICIPATION Open to Maarif students and staff Each participant may submit up to three (3) photographs Participants are free in artistic expression within the theme framework Accurate and complete personal information must be provided Previously submitted works to other competitions are not accepted Manipulated or composite images are not allowed Minor edits (cropping, color, contrast) are acceptable within reasonable limits Copyrights of submitted works are deemed transferred to Turkish Maarif Foundation Required permissions must be obtained for identifiable individuals in photographs Content must not violate privacy, copyrights, or ethical standards Deadline: June 26, 23:59 (GMT+3) Participants waive all rights to awarded works and transfer them to the Foundation The Foundation reserves the right to modify prize specifications AWARDSMain Awards 1st Prize: DSLR Camera 2nd Prize: DSLR Camera 3rd Prize: Digital Compact Camera Honorable Mention Awards Instax Compact Camera...

September 17, 2025 Maarif Painting Competition 2025: “My Happiest Moment with My Family”

As Turkish Maarif Foundation, we are organizing a painting competition on the occasion of 2025 being declared the Year of Family, aiming to strengthen our students’ family bonds, support their artistic sides, and develop their aesthetic perspectives. This competition is open to middle and high school students studying at Maarif Schools. Participants will reflect the theme “My Happiest Moment with My Family” through their unique interpretations in their paintings, raising awareness about the concept of family.📌 ThemeMain Theme: FamilySub Theme: “My Happiest Moment with My Family”👥 Target GroupCategory 1: Middle school studentsCategory 2: High school students🗓️ Competition Calendar (2025)Application Deadline: October 24 (23:59)📝 Application and Participation RulesOnly Maarif Schools students can participate.Each participant may submit up to 3 works.Applications will be made through the online form at www.eyesofmaarif.comParticipants must provide complete personal information.Works previously submitted to other competitions or awarded will not be accepted.Works must be original; no additions, removals, or digital interventions allowed.Parental/subject consent is required for works containing human portraits.Copyrights will be shared with Turkish Maarif Foundation.🎨 Technical RequirementsTechnique: Free (gouache, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, mixed, etc.)Size: Recommended A3 (29.7 × 42 cm)Surface: Drawing paper or canvasDigital Upload: JPEG/PNG format, minimum 300 dpi resolution, 1920×1080 px or higherWorks must not have been previously published or submitted to other competitions.🏆 AwardsFirst Place: TabletSecond Place: CameraThird Place: HeadphonesHonorable Mention: Institutional gift and art materialsAwarded and honorable mention works will be exhibited and published in a catalog.💫 We invite our students to express their happiest moments with their families through the colors of art and wish success to all participants.For details, please visit eyesofmaarif.com....

May 27, 2025 The 4th International Symposium on Turkish Language Teaching and Turkology in the Balkans to Be Held in Konya in November

The International Symposium on Turkish Language Teaching and Turkology in the Balkans is organized with the aim of bringing together scholars working in various fields of the social sciences, particularly in Turkish language teaching and Turkology in the Balkans; identifying the works, studies, and interactions produced in this cultural context; and evaluating the conducted research for the benefit of the public. The first symposium was held in 2022 in Albania, hosted by the University of New York Tirana; the second in 2023 in Türkiye, hosted by Istanbul University; and the third in 2024 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, hosted by the International University of Sarajevo. The primary focus of the symposium is Turkish language teaching and Turkology in the Balkans, and a specific theme has been determined for each year since the second symposium. In this context, the theme of the second symposium was "Cultural Interaction," and the third symposium’s theme was "City, Culture, and Civilization: The Balkans." Over the past three years, a total of 364 papers have been submitted by 334 different researchers (counting only one author per paper). The fourth symposium will be held in Konya from November 5 to 7, 2025, under the theme of “Migration and Its Traces in the Balkans.” Sub-themes will include the reflections of migration on language, literature, art, education, and social life. The symposium will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to examine the impact of historical migration movements in the Balkans on language, literature, education, art, and social life. Additionally, Turkish language teaching and Turkology studies in the Balkans will continue to be among the sub-themes in line with the main title of the symposium. Participation in the symposium is free of charge. Participants' expenses for meals, accommodation, and transportation will be covered by the Symposium Organizing Committee.   Important Dates Deadline for submission of full papers: September 1, 2025 Announcement of accepted papers to participants: October 4, 2025 Announcement of the Abstract Book: November 1, 2025 4th International Symposium on Turkish Language Teaching and Turkology in the Balkans November 5-7, 2025 Deadline for Submission of final edited full texts: December 10, 2025 Publication of the Symposium Proceedings Book 2026   The UNYT Press will later publish the full texts of the presented papers at the symposium in coordination with the UNYT Balkan Research Centre in the Book of Proceedings after the pre-review and acceptance by the Scientific Committee.Click for more information Contact Symposium Secretariat Contact Person: Şerife KAFALİ, Turkish Maarif Foundation Email: skafali@turkiyemaarif.org Phone: 0(216) 323 3535 – 1844 Symposium Location Konya, Türkiye...

November 22, 2024 Istanbul Education Summit 2024: Education for a Fair and Equitable Society for a Sustainable Future

Organized by Turkish Maarif Foundation, the Istanbul Education Summit will be held online on December 6-7, 2024. The summit will bring together institutions and individuals recognized for their international contributions and work in the field of education under the theme “Education for a Fair and Equitable Society for a Sustainable Future.”First held online in 2021 with the theme “New Trends and Transformations in Education,” the summit continued in subsequent years with the themes “The Future of School: The Post-Pandemic Needs of Education” and “Leading the Change in Education.” This year’s summit will provide an international platform for discussions on future educational perspectives, institutional approaches, and educational practices, bringing together participants from around the world.During the summit, there will be various levels of discussion and learning opportunities. The high-level session will focus on “Education for a Fair and Equitable Society for a Sustainable Future” with the participation of education ministers from different countries. Additionally, three panels will be held with academics and experts:Rethinking Relations between State and Education Social Justice and Education A New Sustainable School Culture Special sessions will address the following topics:Leading Schools Towards Equity: The Role of Principals in Shaping Fair and Inclusive Education Shaping Tomorrow: How Youth Can Drive Equity and Sustainability in Education During the summit, “Good Practices in Education” and the 5th International Maarif Photography Competition, organized by Maarif Schools worldwide, will also be presented.The Istanbul Education Summit will be honored by the opening speech of the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The summit will continue with speeches by the Minister of National Education, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Tekin, and the President of the Turkish Maarif Foundation, Prof. Dr. Birol Akgün.For more information, please visit https://istanbuleducationsummit.com/...

September 03, 2024 Vth International Maarif Photography Competition Begins

The traditional Photography Competition, which will take place in two different categories with the participation of Maarif Schools' students and staff, will be held for the fifth time this year with the theme "My Country." In the competition, students, teachers, and staff will compete in their categories with photos themed "My Country / Culture - Art – Tradition " The student applications will undergo a two-stage competition process. The first stage will be an internal evaluation within the school, and awards will be given. The top three works from each school will compete internationally among Maarif Schools and will receive awards. The winning works will be rewarded with valuable prizes. Additionally, all photo participants who meet the application criteria will be awarded an “International Maarif Photography Competition Participation Certificate.” Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their country's rich cultural heritage, artistic traditions, and traditional practices. The competition will be judged by a professional jury, and all award-winning works will be presented with specially selected gifts. Additionally, you can visit the “eyesofmaarif.com” website to submit your works and view photos from previous years that have won awards. We wish all photography enthusiasts participating in the competition success in advance. Application: eyesofmaarif.com Deadline: 29 October 2024...

August 14, 2024 IIIrd International Symposium on Turkish Language Teaching in the Balkans and Turkology Will be Held in Bosnia and Herzegovina in November

The International Symposium on Turkish Language Teaching in the Balkans and Turkology is organized to bring together scientists working on the Balkans in various fields of social sciences, especially Turkish language teaching and Turkology activities in the Balkans; to identify the works, studies and interactions in the cultural context and to evaluate the research and present them to the public. The first symposium was organized in Albania (Tirana) and the second in Türkiye (Istanbul). Academics from many countries shared their studies on the Balkans at the symposium. The Symposium, which will be held for the third time in 2024, will be held on 13-15 November 2024 at the International University of Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina) with the main theme of “City, Culture and Civilization: Balkans”.The sub-themes are as follows:Language, Literature and CityCity and MusicCity, Works and PersonalitiesCity, Foundation Culture and CivilizationCity and Scientific InstitutionsCity and ArchitectureCity and Art NeighborhoodsOttoman ArchivesCity and TradeCity and Food CultureCity and Social LifeCity, Cinema and TheaterCity, Religion and SufismTeaching Turkish and Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language Participation to the Symposium is free of charge. The full texts of the proceedings of the Symposium, which are evaluated and accepted by the Scientific Committee, will be published in the Proceedings Book to be published by UNYT Press and published by the UNYT Center for Balkan Studies. Important Dates September 20, 2024 Deadline for submission of full papers  October 4, 2024 Announcing the accepted papers to the participants  November 1, 2024 Abstract Booklet Announcement November 13-15, 2024 3rd International Symposium on Turkish Teaching in the Balkans and Turkology: “City, Culture and Civilization: Balkans” December 6, 2024 Submission of final versions of full texts  2025 Printing of full textsClick For More InformationContact Information for Your Questions:skafali@turkiyemaarif.org0(216) 323 3535 - 1844  ...