Skopje hosts 5th International Symposium on Turkish Teaching and Turkology

The 5th International Symposium on Turkish Teaching and Turkology in the Balkans has commenced in Skopje, North Macedonia. The event is organized through a collaboration between the Turkish Maarif Foundation, Tirana New York University, and the International Balkan University.

Key attendees include Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Haci Ali Özel, Turkish Ambassador to Skopje Alper Aktaş, North Macedonian Minister of State for International Cooperation and Foreign Investment Zulfikar Zejnulla, and North Macedonian Deputy Minister of Education and Science Driton Sulejmani. The symposium focuses on the theme of “Folk Literature and Oral Culture in the Balkans.”

During the opening, Deputy Minister Özel emphasized that teaching the Turkish language and promoting Turkish culture are vital dimensions of Turkey's foreign policy. Minister Zejnulla highlighted the historical importance of the Turkish language in the region, noting that preserving language is essential to preserving national identity. The symposium is supported by several Turkish institutions, including the Turkish Language Association, Yunus Emre Institute, and TIKA.