The “Respect for Our Mothers and Grandmothers” project, organized by the Akademi Sanat Foundation and supported by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), was introduced through a special event held at Bellapais Abbey.
The project highlights the traditional motifs and values of Turkish Cypriot culture.
As part of the event, woven sheets taken from mothers’ and grandmothers’ chests, handwoven fabrics, lacework, tablecloths, coffee tablecloths and curtains, which reflect the rich heritage of Turkish Cypriot culture, were displayed alongside modern design pieces.
Speaking at the event, Head of the Akademi Sanat Foundation, Gencay Eroğlu expressed his gratitude to TİKA and everyone who contributed to the project. President of the TRNC, Ersin Tatar, who also gave a speech at the event, emphasized that preserving Turkish Cypriot culture, art and traditions and passing them on to the next generations is a great wealth and success. Tatar expressed his gratitude to all who contributed.
The mushroom production project was commenced, in cooperation with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the Kilis Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and the Azaz Local Council in Azaz, Syria.
As food safety has become one of the primary concerns in every society, this initiative in Azaz aims to contribute to the delivery of safe food in the region. The project, being implemented in cooperation between TİKA, the Kilis Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and the Azaz Local Council, aims to improve the standard of living for local people by highlighting the nutritional and commercial value of mushrooms.
The project’s significance is not limited to ensuring food safety. The project also aims to contribute to the economic and social development of rural areas in Azaz. Mushroom production stands out as a production model which will enliven the local economy by providing a new source of income for farmers and enhancing employment in the region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the project, the Chairman of the Azaz Local Council, Muhammad Hamdan Yusuf stated that this initiative is a promising step for the future of the region. He also expressed his gratitude to TİKA and the Kilis Provincial Directorate of Agriculture for their contributions to the project.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided equipment and fire-resistant clothing to the fire department of the Necoclí Municipality, affiliated with the department of Antioquia in Colombia, to increase their emergency response capacity to forest fires.
Within the scope of the project, implemented to enhance Colombia’s resilience and adaptation capacity against natural disasters, firefighting equipment and fire-resistant clothing were provided to the Necoclí fire department, which will enable them to urgently fight against forest fires at full capacity.
The equipment will be used not only to respond to local disasters, but also to aid in regional calls for assistance.
Colombia is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of ecosystem diversity and natural reserves. Forest fires, caused by extreme heat and drought as a result of climate change, pose a great danger to these reserves.
The fact that the endemic fauna and flora of the country are in danger makes the fight against forest fires more significant. Increasing the capacity of local fire departments in regions hosting large national parks such as Antioquia is of vital importance in fighting fires that break out in many places simultaneously.
The renovation work implemented by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in the historically and culturally rich Surlariçi region in Nicosia, the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, has been completed.
The facades of the historical houses on the street, which hosts Alparslan Türkeş Memorial House Museum and the Lusignan House Museum, previously restored by TİKA, were improved, and the roofs of the houses were renovated.
In addition to these works, a modern lighting system was installed to beautify the night view of the streets.
As part of the project, a night lighting system was also provided for the New Mosque in Nicosia. Upon the completion of these works, the Surlariçi region has become a more attractive touristic destination, contributing to the historic fabric and cultural heritage of Nicosia.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established the “Radiophony and Sound Management Studio” within the Higher Institute of Music in Tunisia.
Türkiye’s Ambassador to Tunisia, Ahmet Misbah Demircan; the Deputy Minister of the Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia, Ahmet Sheikh al-Arabi; TİKA’s Coordinator in Tunisia, Ali Fuat Cebeci; the Rector of the University of Sousse, Lotfi Belkacem; the Director of the Higher Music Institute of Sousse, Faher Hakima and local administrators attended the opening ceremony of the studio, which will be utilized within the Higher Music Institute in Sousse, a coastal city located in the south of the capital Tunis.
Speaking at the opening of the studio, Ambassador Demircan said, “This project is of great importance not only for students of the music institute, but also for Tunisian youth. We are extremely proud to implement these projects enhancing relations at all levels between Türkiye and Tunisia. We will continue to take part and support projects which will strengthen bilateral relations in the forthcoming period.”
The Director of the Higher Music Institute of Sousse, Hakima stated that the studio will be utilized by students, and this project will contribute to the university’s history as a success story.
Underlining that the project initially had educational purposes, Hakima said,
“We have been trying to establish a radio within the university since 2017. At the studio, established with high-tech equipment and materials especially for students with visual impairments, there is everything a professional radio station needs. We thank to TİKA for the studio they established within our university.”
“The 3rd professional studio established by TİKA in Tunisia”
TİKA’s Coordinator in Tunisia, Cebeci noted that the Radiophony and Sound Management Studio established within the Higher Music Institute of Sousse will greatly contribute to students’ education.
Cebeci also added,
“The studio in Sousse, where we are present today for the inauguration, is the third professional studio established by TİKA in Tunisia. We previously established studios within the Tunisia News Agency (TAP) and the Tunisian National Children and Youth Informatics Center. However, one of the elements that makes this project meaningful is that individuals with visual impairments would also benefit from this studio through special equipment provided.”
Cebeci also stated that as an institution, they give special priority to activities aimed at supporting disadvantaged groups in society.
Emphasizing that it will also be possible to broadcast online from the studio, Cebeci expressed that the studio, which increased the physical capacity of the institute, will develop students’ skills and increase job opportunities in employment market.
According to data from TİKA’s Tunisia Office, TİKA, which started its activities in Tunisia in 2012, has implemented nearly 250 projects and activities especially in the education field up to now.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established a drinking water purification system at Badghis State University, located in the northwest of Afghanistan.
TİKA provided clean drinking water to 1,200 students by establishing a drinking water purification system at Badghis State University. The industrial-type three-device water purification system, which produces 3,000 liters of water per hour, aims to meet agricultural and drinking water needs by resolving the salty water problem of the university.
TİKA’s Coordinator in Herat, Arafat Deniz; the Vice Rector of Badghis State University, Muhammed Neim Hakmal; the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Sefiullah Sefa Efzeli; the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Muazzam Hakmal, academicians and students attended the opening ceremony of the project.
Speaking at the ceremony, TİKA’s Coordinator in Herat, Deniz expressed the significance they attach to development projects, and stated that they will continue to meet such basic needs.
Deniz also expressed their dedication to assisting people residing in the west of Afghanistan who are suffering from water shortages.
Thanks to the project, drinking water will no longer need to be supplied from outside the city, and practical training will be given within the Faculty of Agriculture.
The International Tourism, Economy and Culture Congress 2024 (ITEC), organized in cooperation between Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Sivas Cumhuriyet University, International Balkan University and Kilis 7 Aralık University, was held in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia.
Within the scope of the congress, organized to create and develop new ideas, and ultimately to lead the development in related fields, and held with the participation of academicians, researchers, sector representatives and students interested in tourism, economy, culture sectors, 32 different sessions were organized, including 182 papers presented by 353 academicians hailing from 23 different countries.
During various sessions, the interrelations between sectors were focused on, and possible cooperation areas were determined. In addition, new approaches and ideas, which will contribute to Türkiye’s touristic and economic relations with Balkan countries, especially North Macedonia, which shares a common history and culture with Türkiye, were also evaluated.
Speaking at the opening program, TİKA’s Coordinator in Skopje, Mehmet Bayrak said, “The rich cultural diversity of North Macedonia undoubtedly holds significant potential for the development of the country’s tourism economy. TİKA, as Türkiye’s institution responsible for development aid, has been supporting projects and activities in the fields of cultural cooperation and restoration to trigger this potential.”
The Rector of Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Prof. Dr. Alim Yıldız also said, “I hope that the congress will contribute to the tourism academy and lead to new projects and cooperations. I would like to express my gratitude to the institutions that contributed to the congress.”
The Rector of Kilis 7 Aralık University, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Doğan Karacoşkun evaluated, “I think it has become more important that countries focus more on the issue of cultural heritage as a model of building their future by preserving their past, while they compete in the field of tourism, and try to produce added value and strengthen their economies.”
At the end of the congress, participants received their certificates.
Located in Nicosia, the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Lusignan House Museum, which blends Lusignan Gothic architecture and Ottoman architecture and serves as a tourist attraction for many tourists, was renovated with the contributions of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
Through renovation works carried out at the Lusignan House Museum, which is located in the historically and culturally rich Surlariçi Region of Nicosia and among the must-visit places for tourists, local and foreign tourists now have the opportunity to visit the museum under improved conditions.
Through improvements carried out by TİKA, it is aimed that the structurally strengthened Lusignan House Museum will contribute to the touristic experience and cultural life of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established a fish farm in the city of Maroua, located in the Far North Region of Cameroon.
TİKA established 3 fish ponds and provided material support to enhance the production capacity of the fish farm operated by the cooperative “SCOOPS Agros Pisciculteurs Du Sahel”, which has been carrying out fishing activities using traditional methods in the region for 15 years.
Türkiye’s Ambassador to Yaoundé, Volkan Işıkçı; Mayor of Maroua III, Aliou Mohamadou, cooperative members, officials from the Maroua Governorship and TİKA attended the opening ceremony.
Within the scope of the project, the fish farm, with its increased production capacity, is expected to contribute to employment in the region.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided educational, sports and hardware equipment support to the education center in Afghanistan.
Materials provided by TİKA to the Afghanistan Education Center, where nearly 60 orphans and children from families in need study, were delivered.
TİKA’s Coordinator in Kabul, Fazıl Akın Erdoğan; Managers of the Afghanistan Education Center, personnel from TİKA Kabul Office, teachers working at the education center and students attended the delivery ceremony.
The delivered materials include bunk beds, regular beds, bed linens, carpets, air conditioners, fridges, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, desk-chair sets, computers, computer desks, study tables, bookcases and table tennis equipment.
Students attending the center are mostly high school, university-preparatory school or university students. Apart from religious education, the center provides Turkish, English, mathematics, physics, chemistry, sports and ethics courses.
A delivery ceremony was held for the school bus provided by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) to Moin Uddin Memorial College in Teknaf district of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
TİKA provided a school bus to Moin Uddin Memorial College to support the education sector in the district of Teknaf, where transportation facilities are inadequate. The school bus was delivered to the school administration with a ceremony. Local officials also attended the ceremony which was held in the school’s auditorium.
Prof. Dr. Farid Uddin Ahmed, from the Anthropology Department of the University of Chittagong, presided over the ceremony. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Muhammed Kamrul Hasan; Bangladesh Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), Mizanur Rahman and TİKA’s Deputy Coordinator in Dhaka, Muhammed Ali Armağan.
During his opening speech, College Board Member Yunus Bangali expressed his gratitude to TİKA for the project, and underlined the positive impact that the school bus will have on students’ education. Prof. Dr. Farid Uddin Ahmed expressed the special importance of the education sector in the region, and stated that this school bus is not just a vehicle, but also a symbol of hope and progress.
TİKA’s Deputy Coordinator in Dhaka, Muhammed Ali Armağan shared with participants TİKA’s mission in Bangladesh, which features various development cooperation projects in the fields of education, healthcare, culture and humanitarian aid. Referring to the deep-rooted friendship between the two countries, he reiterated TİKA’s determination to support Bangladesh in various capacities. Underlining that TİKA has been operating in the region for Rohingya Muslims since 2017, Armağan expressed his gratitude to residents and officials of Cox’s Bazar for kindly hosting Rohingya Muslims, who were displaced.
During his speech, Bangladesh Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), Muhammed Mizanur Rahman noted the historical friendship between Türkiye and Bangladesh, and summarized the important contacts that have occurred between the two nations since the era of the Mughal Empire. Stating that Türkiye is a natural friend of Bangladesh, Mizanur Rahman remarked that reflections of this friendship are increasingly felt at the state and national levels.
Ministry Secretary Muhammed Kamrul Hasan also emphasized that they have been collaborating with TİKA for a long time. Underlining that each TİKA project sets an example, he stated that these projects directly meet the needs. Inviting students to focus on their education, Kamrul Hasan emphasized that education is the keystone of establishing a smart Bangladesh. Reiterating the government’s determination to support educational development in regions such as Teknaf, he expressed that state support to the college will continue.
Moin Uddin Memorial College provides education for nearly 700 students, approximately 60% of whom are girls. In this region, where transportation services are limited, many students travel to their schools from long distances of 40-45 km. The new school bus aims to ease the challenges especially for female students who often encounter safety problems during their daily journeys.
The “Exhibition of Islamic Calligraphy Works Collection,” organized by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Albayrak Group, met with art lovers at Yunus Emre Institute in Budapest, Hungary, within the scope of the 2024 Türkiye-Hungary Culture Year.
The Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Hungary, Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu; Ambassadors of Qatar and Pakistan to Hungary; the Representative of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in Hungary; TİKA’s Coordinator in Hungary, Elif Türkislamoğlu; the Corporate Communications Coordinator of the Albayrak Group, Esad Sivri and the Editor-in-Chief of GZT, Doğukan Gezer attended the opening of the exhibition held with TİKA’s support in Budapest.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Hungary, Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu emphasized the Treaty of Friendship and said, “The aesthetics that Islamic calligraphy adds to letters has always impressed me deeply. We also have the works of the late Gaye Zapsu, Türkiye’s first female Islamic calligrapher. We discovered that the Hungarian people are interested in Islamic calligraphy. Therefore, I would like to express my gratitude to the Albayrak Group, TİKA and Yunus Emre Institute.”
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, the Corporate Communications Coordinator of the Albayrak Group, Esad Sivri said, “As you know, the year of 2024 is celebrated as the Türkiye – Hungary Culture Year. We are delighted to emphasize our friendship and cooperation through a cultural heritage on the 100th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. Considering our mission in the fields of culture and art as the Albayrak Group, this traditional exhibition is of great importance for us. I am aware that culture and history are also of great significance for TİKA, which has not left us alone in achieving this mission. For this reason, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all TİKA directors and personnel, who are our great supporters.”
“Islamic Calligraphy Exhibition Opening in Türkiye-Hungary Culture Year”
The year of 2024 is being celebrated as the Culture Year, referring to the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Hungary. It was aimed to host 100 events on the 100th anniversary of relations between the two countries. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; President of Hungary, Katalin Novák and Prime Minister, Viktor Orban attended the opening program of the events, emphasizing the 100-year friendship and cooperation between the nations.
The Albayrak Group presented 25 Islamic calligraphy works, including Salam āyahs (verses) and various hadiths, to art lovers in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Embracing Islamic calligraphy, a traditional Islamic art, the Group presents this art to calligraphy lovers through a collection expanding gradually and through exhibitions with different themes determined annually. Having toured many places in Türkiye and around the world, the exhibition’s first stop in Africa was Tunisia this year. The first stop of the exhibition in Europe was Budapest. The exhibition will be open to visitors until May 15.
“TİKA Reestablishes the Ottoman Heritage in Hungary”
TİKA has been continuing its journey through global development goals and value of cultural and historical perspectives in international relations since 1992. Having carried out more than 30,000 projects and activities in nearly 170 countries since its establishment, TİKA prioritizes cultural heritage.
TİKA implemented projects such as the reconstruction of the Suleiman the Magnificent Mosque in Szigetvár, the restoration of the Turkish House in Szigetvár and its transformation into a museum, the restoration of the Gül Baba Tomb in Budapest. The institution is preparing to develop new projects for Ottoman artifacts in Hungary in the forthcoming period.
