Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has established a media and education studio at the century-old NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, Pakistan.
Created in collaboration with TİKA and NED University, the studio—named the Pak-Türkiye Media Centre—will facilitate online education and diploma programs in various media-related fields. The studio was inaugurated with a ceremony attended by numerous guests.
The opening ceremony of the project was attended by Cemal Sangu, Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye in Karachi; Dursun Ali Yaşacan, Head of TİKA’s East and South Asia, Pacific and Latin America Department; Dr. Sarosh Hashmat Lodhi, Rector of NED University; Halil İbrahim Başaran, TİKA’s Coordinator in Karachi; and numerous guests from Türkiye and Pakistan.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Consul General Sangu highlighted the deep historical roots of the friendship between Türkiye and Pakistan, which spans centuries. He expressed confidence that the Pak-Türkiye Media Centre, established by TİKA, will play a vital role in furthering and strengthening this enduring bond.
Dursun Ali Yaşacan, Head of TİKA’s East and South Asia, Pacific and Latin America Department, stated in his speech that TİKA has implemented significant media projects in Pakistan and many other countries across the world. He expressed satisfaction in providing a modern studio to Pakistan’s century-old NED University, which will serve various purposes.
NED University Rector Dr. Sarosh Hashmat Lodhi shared that they had long envisioned a studio for online and distance education. He expressed his profound gratitude to TİKA for its invaluable contribution in bringing this dream to fruition.
Following the speeches, the ceremonial ribbon was cut, officially inaugurating the Pak-Türkiye Media Centre. The center’s first live broadcast featured Consul General Sangu, Department Head Yaşacan, NED University Rector Dr. Lodhi, Vice Rector Dr. Tufail, and TİKA’s Coordinator in Karachi Başaran as guests.
In addition to supporting distance and online education, the Pak-Türkiye Media Centre will offer diploma programs in various fields, including studio equipment operation and film production.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) restored abandoned historical structures in the city of Hebron, Palestine and repurposed them for the benefit of the Palestinian people.
Hebron, the largest city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and one of the oldest settlements in the Eastern Mediterranean, holds religious and historical significance for Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike.
The restored site, comprising three houses and a neighborhood, was renovated through a collaboration between TİKA and the Hebron Zoning Committee. The project was inaugurated with a ceremony attended by Palestinian Minister of Culture, Emad Hamdan; TİKA’s Coordinator in Palestine, Orhan Aydın; Hebron Zoning Committee officials, and local residents.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Hamdan emphasized the universal responsibility to protect shared historical and cultural heritage. He expressed his gratitude to TİKA, the Republic of Türkiye, and the Turkish people for their continued support and numerous projects undertaken in Hebron.
TİKA’s previous restoration efforts in Hebron include the Takiat Ibrahim Hospice, the renewal of carpets in the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque, and the preservation of several historic buildings surrounding the mosque.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided medical equipment to support the intensive care unit of Herat Regional Hospital, which serves the western provinces of Afghanistan.
The equipment delivery ceremony, organized by TİKA, was attended by TİKA’s Coordinator in Herat, Arafat Deniz; Herat Regional Hospital Director, Muhammed İbrahim Enis; and several doctors.
Speaking at the ceremony; TİKA’s Coordinator in Herat, Arafat Deniz explained that the project was initiated following discussions with the Provincial Health Directorate and hospital authorities to strengthen healthcare services. Deniz noted that the equipment provided for the intensive care unit included five patient beds, five bedside monitors, one ventilator, one aspirator, five laryngoscopes, and a three-probe echo device.
Deniz emphasized TİKA’s commitment to prioritizing health and education and assured that such support would continue in the future.
In his remarks; Herat Regional Hospital Director, Muhammed İbrahim Enis highlighted the high quality of the equipment provided by TİKA, particularly emphasizing the significance of the echo device. Director Enis stated: “We did not previously have a three-probe echo device in our intensive care unit. Addressing this shortfall and enhancing our unit’s capacity to treat life-threatening cases with the additional equipment has been an invaluable support. We extend our heartfelt thanks to TİKA and Türkiye for these contributions.”
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has established a state-of-the-art education and control greenhouse at Sindh Agricultural University Tandojam, Pakistan’s oldest and most esteemed agricultural institution. The greenhouse is equipped with advanced technology and powered by a renewable solar energy system.
The opening ceremony of the project was attended by TİKA officials, university representatives, and numerous guests.
Speaking at the event, TİKA’s Department Head Dursun Ali Yaşacan highlighted TİKA’s significant contributions to agricultural development in Pakistan and across the globe. He expressed his satisfaction in delivering a cutting-edge greenhouse to Sindh Agricultural University, emphasizing its role as Pakistan’s leading institution in agricultural education and research.
“We want to benefit from Türkiye’s valuable experience”
The Rector of Sindh Agricultural University, Dr. Fateh Marri, expressed pride in the continued collaboration with TİKA, which began in 2022 and now includes the modern greenhouse project. Highlighting the opportunity to observe Türkiye’s advancements in agriculture firsthand, Marri emphasized their desire to leverage this expertise.
He extended his gratitude to TİKA and Türkiye, through Department Head Dursun Ali Yaşacan, for their contributions toward ensuring food security.
Following the speeches, TİKA officials, university representatives, and guests proceeded to the project site to inaugurate the greenhouse. The opening ceremony, conducted with prayers, was followed by a tour of the greenhouse, during which President Yaşacan and Rector Marri received briefings on the ongoing academic initiatives.
Collaboration with Sindh Agricultural University
Since 2022, TİKA and Sindh Agricultural University have collaborated on various projects. These include the distribution of wheat seeds to Pakistani farmers affected by floods and in 2023, the provision of home farming kits to women in Karachi’s Lyari district, the most populous area in Pakistan.
The education and control greenhouse established by TİKA, equipped with an advanced electronic system, is set to enhance public agricultural education, promote the adoption of innovative technologies, and support the university’s academic research initiatives.
The “Social and Life Adaptation Center for Disabled Individuals,” established by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in Aktau, Kazakhstan, has officially begun operations with an opening ceremony.
The ceremony, held in the port city of Aktau on the Caspian Sea coast, was attended by TİKA’s Vice President, Dr. Ümit Naci Yorulmaz; Mangystau Regional Deputy Governor, Abbat Urisbayev; Aktau Governor, Abilkair Baipakov; Aktau Consul General, Sabri Alptekin; TİKA’s Coordinator in Astana, Hikmet Özdenoğlu; and Director of the “Kazakhstan Active Rehabilitation” Disabled Center, Ruslan Gaybatov.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mangystau Regional Deputy Governor Abbat Urisbayev highlighted the center’s significant role in facilitating the integration of disabled individuals into social life. Aktau Governor Abilkair Baipakov expressed confidence that the center would deliver high-quality social and life adaptation services to disabled individuals and extended his gratitude to TİKA and Türkiye for their support.
TİKA’s Vice President Dr. Ümit Naci Yorulmaz underscored that the center represents the beginning of a series of projects planned for the region. He noted that since 1995, TİKA has implemented numerous impactful projects in Kazakhstan in the fields of education, health, agriculture, and cultural cooperation. Yorulmaz also affirmed that initiatives fostering the strong friendship between the two countries would continue to expand.
Accessible living spaces for individuals with disabilities
The center, equipped with essential tools and facilities to support daily living, features spaces such as a kitchen, work area, and bedroom. Designed to overcome the daily challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, the center enables them to live independently in a supportive environment tailored to their needs. It was specifically created to aid the social adaptation process and enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
With the capacity to accommodate 800 individuals, the center aims to promote their active participation in social life and improve their overall well-being.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) renovated the library, educational facilities, and administrative offices of the Turkish Language and Literature Department at Saints Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. Additionally, TİKA provided essential equipment to support the department’s operations.
The opening ceremony of the project was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Skopje, Fatih Ulusoy; TİKA’s Vice President, Dr. Mahmut Çevik; Dean of the Blaže Koneski Faculty of Philology, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Martinovski; Head of the Turkish Language and Literature Department, Prof. Dr. Osman Emin; MATÜSİTEB President, Tahsin İbrahim; North Macedonian Members of Parliament, political party representatives, numerous academics, poets, Turkologists, students, and representatives of Turkish institutions and organizations in the country.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Ulusoy emphasized the indispensable role of the Turkish language for Turks, stating that where there is no Turkish, Turks cannot breathe. He expressed gratitude to everyone involved in teaching Turkish, reaffirming Türkiye’s unwavering support for North Macedonia. Ambassador Ulusoy also expressed hope to celebrate future successes and proud moments of the Turkology Department together.
TİKA’s Vice President Çevik highlighted TİKA’s significant contributions to advancing and promoting the Turkish language and Turkology globally. He noted that TİKA has implemented over 500 projects dedicated to Turkology to date.
Highlighting their ongoing commitment to the development of the Turkish language in the region, Çevik stated: “We have implemented approximately 122 Turkology projects across the Balkans and Eastern Europe. These projects include the renovation and equipping of Turkology departments, educational initiatives, the provision and support of teaching materials, pedagogical training programs for educators, and the exchange of expertise.”
Blaže Koneski Faculty of Philology Dean Martinovski expressed gratitude for the support provided to enhance and modernize the Turkology Department. He remarked, “I hope Turkology will continue to grow within our university and that this growth will be achieved in collaboration with all universities where Turkology is taught.”
Thanks to the project completed by TİKA, Turkology Department students now have access to a modernized and fully renovated learning environment, enabling them to pursue their studies under improved conditions.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided equipment support to Nursery No. 0289 of the Border Protection Unit to offer preschool education opportunities for the children of employees working 1,800 kilometers away from Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar. The nursery serves children between the ages of 2 and 5.
As part of a joint initiative by the Mongolian Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Science, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, nurseries for the children of state employees working in border areas have begun to open. In this context, a nursery with a capacity for 25 children was constructed in 2024 to address the social challenges faced by security personnel at Border Protection Unit No. 0285 and to provide preschool education for their children. However, the nursery’s opening was delayed due to budgetary constraints.
Through the project implemented by TİKA, preschool education materials aligned with educational standards, kitchen equipment, and bedding were provided, facilitating the official opening of the nursery.
The project aims to enhance preschool education infrastructure in rural areas and ensure that children in these regions have access to preschool education services.
Colonel Hürelsüh Battör, Commander of Border Protection Directorate No. 0285, expressed his gratitude, stating that the project enables soldiers and other personnel assigned to border protection duties to work without concern, knowing their children have access to a nursery. He extended his thanks to TİKA and the Turkish people on behalf of all border guards.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) launched a vital development project for the Agadez region of Niger and the nearby Eladep Village, which have been severely affected by global warming and drought.
The historically significant city of Agadez, situated on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, faces severe challenges from drought, global warming, and irregular migration. Positioned near the Libyan and Algerian borders and at the crossroads of migration routes to Europe, the region contends with issues such as human trafficking and drug smuggling.
In response, the Agadez Youth Council, established by the Government of Niger, works to steer young people away from harmful behaviors and guide them toward productive activities.
A modern agricultural center established in Eladep village
TİKA has established an agricultural production and trial center on a 2-hectare plot in Eladep Village, located 7 kilometers from Agadez.
The center’s infrastructure is designed to enable farmers to produce crops year-round, independent of the rainy season. It is equipped with a garden, a water well, a water tank, solar energy systems, a storage facility, California-style irrigation systems, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation containers, shovels, rakes, and other essential agricultural tools.
The opening and delivery ceremony for the project, implemented with the support of the Agadez Municipality and the Sultanate of Agadez, was attended by Albakari Illa Garo, the Sultan of Agadez’s representative; Ibrahim Idrassi, President of the Agadez Youth Council; Ghali Elingui, Chief of Eladep Village; TİKA officials; and local farmers.
The agricultural production and trial center aims to diversify agricultural and livestock activities in the region, encourage youth involvement in production, and address challenges related to water access.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has renovated the building housing the Religious Administration of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Muslim Association of Ukraine, which was damaged during airstrikes on Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
The Islamic Cultural Center, which suffered significant damage in the intense airstrikes on Kyiv, is home to institutions such as the Religious Administration of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Muslim Association of Ukraine, and the Union of Ukrainian Muslim Women. Thanks to TİKA’s efforts, the center has been restored to a functional and usable state.
The center’s mosque, which serves as a place of worship for Muslims in Kyiv, particularly Crimean Tatar compatriots, has been renovated and reopened for worship.
The damaged windows, doors, walls, and lighting systems of the building—including the sewing workshop recently established by TİKA under the Union of Ukrainian Muslim Women—have been fully repaired and are now operational.
The Islamic Cultural Center not only hosts the religious and cultural institutions of Crimean Tatar compatriots but also serves as a place of worship for all Muslims with a special focus on Crimean Tatars. This center, where Muslims gather for religious and special occasions, plays a vital role in addressing the religious and social needs of the Muslim community amidst the challenging conditions of war in Ukraine.
The Mushroom Biotechnology Laboratory, established by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan’s Azad Jammu and Kashmir region, was inaugurated during a formal ceremony.
The opening ceremony, held at the Goira Agricultural Complex, was attended by Azad Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Minister, Serdar Mir Ekber Han; TİKA’s Head of the East and South Asia, Pacific and Latin America Department, Dursun Ali Yaşacan; TİKA’s Coordinator in Islamabad, Muhsin Balcı; officials from the Ministry of Agriculture; and numerous farmers.
Speaking at the ceremony, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Minister Ekber Han emphasized that the region’s cool climate and nutrient-rich soils are ideal for mushroom cultivation. He noted that the laboratory established by TİKA will equip local residents with the knowledge and skills needed for mushroom farming. Additionally, the mushroom seeds produced at the facility will be distributed to the community through grant programs, significantly contributing to the growth of the local economy.
In his speech, TİKA’s Head of the East and South Asia, Pacific and Latin America Department, Dursun Ali Yaşacan, emphasized TİKA’s contributions to enhancing production capacities in the region. He underscored that the project provides both economic and social benefits. Yaşacan added that increasing technical capacity, producing mushroom cultures, and conducting training programs will help raise awareness among farmers about the potential of mushroom cultivation.
The “Radio Museum,” constructed by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) at the headquarters of Radio Pakistan, the country’s largest broadcasting network, was inaugurated during a formal ceremony.
The museum is enriched with valuable documents on Pakistan’s radio history, vintage broadcasting equipment, musical instruments, and archives of historic radio programs. It aims to promote Pakistan’s cultural heritage while documenting the country’s historical evolution of radio broadcasting.
Supported by TİKA, the museum also highlights the impact and historical significance of Radio Pakistan, which operates an extensive media network comprising 80 broadcasting units across 32 publishing houses nationwide.
The opening ceremony was attended by Berk Ece, Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Islamabad; Dursun Ali Yaşacan, TİKA’s Head of the East and South Asia, Pacific and Latin America Department; Muhsin Balcı, TİKA’s Coordinator in Islamabad; officials from Radio Pakistan; representatives of Turkish institutions; and numerous journalists and television broadcasters.
Speaking at the ceremony, Department Head Yaşacan emphasized that Radio Pakistan has served as a voice of unity, progress, and change since its establishment in 1947, providing information and preserving cultural heritage. He noted that the museum will not only keep Pakistan’s radio history alive but also strengthen cultural ties between Türkiye and Pakistan.
Radio Pakistan, a cornerstone of the country’s media history, has played a significant role in fostering social change and shaping national identity. The establishment of the Radio Museum aims to preserve this media legacy, raise awareness in society, protect cultural heritage, and promote media literacy through exhibitions and organized events.
In collaboration with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Senegalese Ministry of Justice, two modern greenhouses have been established on the grounds of Sebikotane Prison to support training and rehabilitation efforts. These facilities enable inmates to acquire greenhouse cultivation skills while serving their sentences.
The project, implemented in partnership with the National School of Penitentiary Administration under the Senegalese Ministry of Justice, features two greenhouses, each spanning 2,500 square meters. Located within Sebikotane Prison and supervised by the Dakar Regional Prison authority, the initiative provides inmates with a chance to develop professional skills and embark on a path toward a fresh start.
As part of the project, a drip irrigation system was installed across a 5,000-square-meter greenhouse area. Additionally, vegetable seeds, fruit seedlings, fertilizers, humus soil, and various agricultural tools were provided, ensuring the necessary infrastructure for production.
A significant portion of the vegetables cultivated in the greenhouse established by TİKA will be allocated for inmates’ consumption, while the surplus will be sold. The revenue generated from these sales will be utilized by the prison administration to support prisoner rehabilitation programs.
The project aims to facilitate inmates’ reintegration into society upon their release and reduce the likelihood of reoffending by equipping them with skills in greenhouse cultivation.
