Noted Turkologists from Around the World Gathered in Eskişehir with TİKA’s Help

Through a collaboration between Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Eskişehir Osmangazi University and Turkish Language Association (TDK), “X. International Symposium on Turkish as a World Language” was held in Eskişehir.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the symposium, Organization Board President and Director of ESOGU TÖMER (Turkish and Foreign Languages Research and Application Center) Prof. Dr. Ferruh Ağca remarked that “Turkish as a World Language” is not a dream, claim or expectation by the speakers and researchers of the Turkish language because the Turkish language is truly one of the greatest languages in the world by any measure. Prof. Dr. Ferruh Ağca pointed out that after UNESCO declared 2018 as “Atabetü'l-Hakayık Year,” they planned as the Organization Board to commemorate the 100^th publication anniversary of Atabetü'l-Hakayık in the symposium and they added sessions into the scientific program of the symposium concerning the said work. Prof. Dr. Ferruf Ağca expressed that over 3 days, 240 presentations were given in 58 sessions and he thanked everybody who helped with the organization of the symposium.

President of Turkish National Commission for UNESCO, Prof. Dr. M. Öcal Oğuz said that in its 39^th Session of the General Conference, UNESCO ruled to include Atabetü'l-Hakayık among its recognition and celebration anniversaries, and therefore, they also wanted to take part in the symposium. Prof. Dr. M. Öcal Oğuz expressed their gratitude and thanked Eskişehir Osmangazi University for organizing the symposium with such dedication.

TDK President Prof. Dr. Gürer Gülsevin explained that Turkey has all the starting measures to be considered as a world language since it is spoken across Eurasia for a very long time, it is spoken by nearly 250 million people and it has very old literary works such as the Orkhon Inscriptions. Prof. Dr. Gürer Gülsevin added that today, there is a great interest from foreigners to learn Turkish and there are 12,000 Turkish words that have been adopted into foreign languages, further proving the status of Turkish as a world language.