The eminent names that do research of literature, history, material and spiritual cultural characteristics of Turkology were hosted in Trakya University. Turkologists from Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, as well as countries such as Ukraine and Moldova, where the Turkish communities live predominantly and internationally well-known Turkologists have participated in International Balkan Turkologists Meeting Workshop: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow of Balkan Turkology with the support of Trakya University, Presidency of Turks Abroad and Related Communities, Yunus Emre Institute, Turkish Language Association, Marmara University Institute of Turkology, Istanbul University Institute of Turkic Studies and Ege University Institute of Turkology Research. The workshop was held on 02 May 2019 at the Balkan Congress Center attended also by Member of the Council of Higher Education Prof. Dr. Hayati Develi, President of Turkish Language Association Prof. Dr. Gürer Gülsevin, Rector of Trakya University Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Edirne Regional Representative Ambassador Volkan Türk Vural, on behalf of Yunus Emre Institute Prof. Dr. Yavuz Kartallıoğlu, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Günşen, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Türkyılmaz, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nesrin Günay, Lecturer Ali İhsan Meşe, Lecturer Fatma Sibel Bayraktar, Lecturer Levent Doğan, Lecturer Muharrem Özden, Lecturer Nursel Dinler, Lecturer Sevgi Özturk, many academicians and students.
After the introductory film of Trakya University, Rector of the university Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu said that “Our number of international students is 3200, we have doubled this in two years and 2700 of our international students are from Balkan countries. We are the most preferred university by students from Balkans; we also give priority to the Balkans in postgraduate and doctoral education. So far, we have given 58 doctorates and 314 master degree graduates to our students from Balkan countries. We give our students orientation training, especially with the International Relations Application and Research Center, we provide all kinds of needs to our students. If you give a little attention to children, these children can even finish school ranking the first. We have examples from The Faculty of Science, Faculty of Letters, Faculty of Architecture, in the past years. At our university, we offer education in Balkan languages such as Modern Greek Literature, Albanian, Bosnian and Bulgarian, and we want to further improve the number of languages we teach. Education in Albanian and Bosnian in Turkey is given just in our university. Edirne is the second in terms of international students' satisfaction. When we go to the Balkans, we hear two things: First, “I studied there”, secondly “I was treated there nicely”. So we will continue to do this in the field of health.”
The proposal of the establishment of the Union of Balkan Turkologists and the establishment of the union will be a great benefit as the Rector. Dr. Tabakoğlu concluded: “The Turkish language has been living in the Balkans for a long time with the Turkish tribes from the north and the Ottoman Empire. This geography have communicated with Turkish for five centuries. It has been a common value not only the Turks, but also all the nations living there.”
To promote Turkey, Turkish language, history, culture and art; to improve Turkey's friendship with other countries, cultural exchange organization established “Yunus Emre Institute” voicing its 10th year. By taking part in such a worthwhile organization, Prof. Dr. Yavuz Kartallıoğlu from Yunus Emre Institute said “Until 2017, the Institute signed a Turkology protocol with 9 countries and 18 universities in the Balkans. In 2018, Balkan Turkology was transferred to the Ministry of National Education in order to carry out these studies from a single source. Each year, we can bring together local Turkologist candidates from the Balkans in Edirne and contribute to their Turkish education processes. Trakya University and Edirne have the power and organization ability to host this meeting.”
Head of Turkish Language Association Prof. Dr. Gürer Gülsevin mentioned the working areas and activities of the Institution in his speech and said “Turkish has been in this interaction and shopping from Siberia to the Balkans. As a result of the studies, we know how many Turkish words in Balkan languages. There are 8700 in Slavic languages, 4000 in Albanian, 3000 in Bulgarian and Romanian Common Turkish words. Serbian, Bulgarian and Greek are structurally very far from each other. The common point of the languages that do not have similarities with each other are Turkish words. Turkish is a glue that holds the Balkans and Balkan languages together.”
Member of the Council of Higher Education Prof. Dr. Hayati Develi in his speech said “There are around five million student mobility around the world. This cultural communication not only provides information mobility but also creates an economy. There was a steady figure until 2008, but we see a rapid rise after 2014. When we come to 2018, we have reached a level of one hundred and fifty thousand international students. YTB is an important institution at this point in the undergraduate and graduate level scholarships encourage student mobility in Turkey. Turkey hosts students coming to Turkey with the support of their facilities or other organizations and institutions except Scholarships. We have to educate our students well and entertain our students well.”
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Edirne Regional Representative Ambassador Volkan Türk Vural, said “As a person from Black Sea region, I am not attracted to foreigners in the Balkans and only Turkish language is enough for me to communicate. This is not Edirne University, but Trakya University, there are steps to develop the region, not the city. We will continue to support all activities of our university as Edirne Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After the opening speeches that ended with the presentation of the gift, three sessions were held.
The first session of the symposium chaired by Rector of Trakya University Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu and YÖK Member Prof. Dr. Hayati Develi where Assoc. Dr. Tudora Arnaut from University of Kiev Taras Shevchenko, Prof. Dr. Agiemin Baubec from University of Bucharest, Assoc. Dr. Neriman Hasan from Constanta Ovidius University, Prof. Dr. Adnan Ismaili from the State University of Tetova, from Ege University Turkish World Research Institute Prof. Dr. Zeki Kaymaz, from University of Prishtina Prof. Dr. İrfan Morina, from Sofia Kliment Ohridski University Prof. Dr. Irina Saraivanova, from Constantine of Preslav University of Shumen Dr. Menent Osmanova Şukrieva, from University of Belgrade Dr. Mirjana Teodosijevich, from Marmara University Institute of Turcology Research Prof. Dr. Okan Yesilot present made a speech.
The second session of the symposium chaired by Head of Turkish Language Association Prof. Dr. Gürer Gülsevin and Prof. Dr. Tahsin Gemil from Babeş Bolyai University where Müsamme Mert from the Council of Higher Education, Trakya University Assoc. Dr. Murat Türkyılmaz, from the University of Pristina Prof. Dr. Ergin Jable, from Istanbul University Prof. Dr. Mustafa Balcı, from Uludağ University Prof. Dr. Hatice Şahin, from Tetova State University Prof. Dr. Suleyman Baki, from the University of Chisinau Assoc. Dr. Evdokia Sorocaima, from Paisiy Hilendarski Plovdiv University Harun Bekir, Shared Dual Degree and the curriculum of universities in Turkey and the Balkan University Turkology attened, held a speech about the of the topic.
The third session of the symposium chaired by Prof. Dr. İrfan Morina from University of Pristina and Prof. Dr. Şerif Ali Bozkaplan from Dokuz Eylül Unversity, where Chief Advisor of the Parliament Necip Fazıl Kurt, Selma Custo from Mostar Dzemal Bijedic University, Dr. Urs Harri, from the University of Tirana, from Constantine of Preslav University of Shumen Dr.Vejdi Hasan, from Manisa Celal Bayar University Prof. Dr. Ayşe İlker, from the Yunus Emre Institute Prof. Dr. Yavuz Kartallıoğlu, from Erciyes University Prof. Dr. Nevzat Özkan, Assoc. Dr. Meryem Salim, Lecturer Jasmina Turajlic from the University of Mostar Dzemal Bijedic contributed to the symposium.
