Important work for Turkish in our heartland! All eyes on Sarajevo

The “3rd International Symposium on Turkish Language Teaching and Turkology in the Balkans” started in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Speaking at the ceremony, Turkish Ambassador to Sarajevo Sadık Babür Girgin emphasized the importance of Türkiye in the region.

The symposium was hosted by IUS in cooperation with Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF), New York University of Tirana (UNYT), International University of Sarajevo (IUS), Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Yunus Emre Institute, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and International Balkan University (IBU). Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız, Rector of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Prof. Dr. Ali Cengiz Köseoğlu, President of SEDEF Foundation Hasan Topaloğlu, TMF executives, academicians and guests attended the symposium.

AMBASSADOR BABUR: TÜRKİYE IS A VERY IMPORTANT ACTOR IN THE REGION

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Turkish Ambassador to Sarajevo Sadık Babür Girgin congratulated TMF for its efforts in organizing the symposium and thanked IUS for hosting the event.

Girgin stated that Türkiye is a part of the Balkans and said, "Türkiye is a very important actor of the region both today and in the past, so it is our hope that these studies will continue to increase. In these studies, it is very important to carry out studies that touch life as well as academia. I would also like to bring to your attention the project 'Ottoman Artifacts in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Footsteps of Evliya Çelebi', which is being carried out by IUS and supported by our Embassy.”

“THE SYMPOSIUM WILL BECOME AN IMPORTANT PLATFORM FOR THE REGION”

Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF) President Prof. Dr. Birol Akgün stated that the symposium has become a tradition and that they carry out their activities in consultation with other institutions, especially Turkish universities in the Balkans.

Akgün stated that many institutions also supported the symposium and that they were happy to hold the program in the hometown of Aliya Izetbegovic, the first President of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Noting that Izetbegovic left behind not only an independent homeland but also a virtuous life and the ideal of a community where different cultures and beliefs can live in harmony, Akgün continued as follows:

“The main theme of the symposium was determined as 'Balkan cities in the context of language, culture and civilization'. We will have the opportunity to evaluate the colorful and cultural world of the Balkan geography from the perspective of Turkish language and Turkology. In the words of Yahya Kemal, “if there is a river in our heart, it is the Tuna, if there is a mountain, it is the Balkans”, we will once again witness the beauties of this cherished geography in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the heart of the Balkans. Sarajevo is the Jerusalem of the Balkans, a heritage of humanity. In the sessions, the richness of history, culture and civilization of the Balkans will be discussed in a scientific framework, and our researchers and academicians will present new perspectives on Turkish language and Turkology studies through issues such as language, literature, culture, and education."

Stating that they believe that the symposium will strengthen the cultural and academic ties between Türkiye and the Balkans, Akgün said: "The symposium will turn into an important platform for the region. The friendship between the Balkans and Türkiye, which is based on a long history, will guide our present, and our common future with its wisdom and virtue through these studies."

IUS Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. Sevgi Kurtulmuş said that Bosnia and Herzegovina is similar to the Anatolian geography, and that Türkiye has historical and cultural unity with the region.

Kurtulmuş stated that they attach great importance to the Balkans and emphasized that they support the peoples in the Balkan countries to stay in their homelands, and that they work in this direction.

IUS Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yıldırım and Rector of UNYT Prof. Dr. Ali Güneş also made speeches at the program.

The symposium organized with the theme “City, Culture and Civilization: Balkans” will end on November 15.