Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided technical equipment support to the Türkiye-Urdu News Agency operating in Pakistan.
The installation of technical equipment and office renovation aimed at strengthening the agency’s technological infrastructure was carried out by TİKA. Within this scope, studio and lighting systems such as video-graphic systems, microphones and video cameras were renewed.
The Republic of Türkiye’s Consul General to Lahore, Durmuş Baştuğ; TİKA’s Coordinator in Islamabad, Muhsin Balcı; the General Manager of the Türkiye-Urdu News Agency, Muhammed Hasan, members of the Journalists’ Union and the press attended the opening ceremony of the project.
Speaking at the ceremony, the General Manager of the Türkiye-Urdu News Agency, Hasan expressed his gratitude to Türkiye and TİKA for their contributions and stated that in addition to recent news, they will prepare programs, interviews and documentaries with experts to introduce the common history, culture, values and traditions of Pakistan and Türkiye.
About the Türkiye-Urdu News Agency
Located in Lahore, the Türkiye-Urdu News Agency publishes news about tourism, education, trade, technology, topics that are on the agenda of our country, in Urdu, and serves as a bridge between Türkiye and Pakistan.
The Türkiye-Urdu News Agency has 650,000 followers on the platform “X”, 440,000 on Facebook, 50,000 on Instagram and more than 20,000 followers on YouTube. The news of the agency appeals to large audiences in Bangladesh and India, as well as Pakistan.
The library and playground at the Baphumelele Children’s Home in South Africa were renovated by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA). The project was inaugurated on April 23rd, accompanied by enthusiastic celebrations of children.
TİKA renewed and reopened the library and playground of the Baphumelele Children’s Home, which began its activities in 1989, in Cape Town.
Toys in the playground were harming children, and the library was out of use due to a leaking roof and its damaged electric system.
To ensure the children’s safety, TİKA took precautions by renovating walls of the playground and laying artificial turf on the ground. New playground toys and library furniture were provided, creating a more comfortable living space for the children. An area, where children can carry out their reading activities, was created by renewing the library’s roof and electrical system, as well as providing books an toys.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the founder of Baphumelele Children’s Home, Rosie Mashale expressed her gratitude to Türkiye, emphasizing the importance of TİKA’s support. She also celebrated April 23rd, National Sovereignty and Children’s Day which was presented to the children of the world by Atatürk.
Türkiye’s Consul General to Cape Town, Sinan Yeşildağ expressed his satisfaction with presenting the playground and library to the children of Khayelitsha as a gift from the Turkish people on this special occasion, which was designated for children by Atatürk.
The “Two Prominent Figures from Korçë in the Ottoman Empire: Iljaz Bej Mirahori and Koçi Bey Symposium,” organized in cooperation with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the Alsar Foundation and the Fan S. Noli University of Korçë, was held on April 18, 2024 in Korçë, Albania.
The Rector of Fan S. Noli University of Korçë, Prof. Dr. Dhimitri Bello; TİKA’s Coordinator in Tirana, Mustafa Ata; the President of the Alsar Foundation, Mehdi Gurra; the Education Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Tirana, Metin Bulut, representatives of Turkish institutions and organizations, representatives of Albanian institutions, academicians, diplomats, representatives of NGOs and many other guests attended the opening ceremony of the symposium.
During two sessions organized within the scope of the symposium, 11 academicians, researchers and country experts invited from Türkiye, North Macedonia and Albania presented their papers.
Iljaz Bej Mirahori, an Albanian descent commander and statesman who served the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Bayezid II, earned the title “İmrahor” for his role in the Siege of Constantinople in 1453. Becoming the sanjak-bey of Korçë after the Conquest of Constantinople, Iljaz Bej transformed Korçë into a cultural center and garrison city, and constructed the Iljaz Bej Mirahori Mosque, which was the first mosque of the city and was later restored by TİKA.
Koçi Bey, whose real name was Mustafa and nickname was thought to be “Koçi,” was taken as a devshirme from Korçë in Albania at a young age, and was accepted to the Enderûn and studied there. Known for the risales (a series of reports) he wrote during the reign of Sultan Murad IV and his brother Sultan Ibrahim, Koçi Bey is a writer, thinker and statesman who influenced Ottoman politics and administration in the 17th century.
The symposium aims to enhance the strong historical, cultural and social ties between Albania and Türkiye, which date back to the 14th century, enlighten the deep-rooted history between the two countries and raise awareness among the young generation.
The articles presented in Turkish, Albanian and English during the symposium will later be published as a book.
The “Turkish-Hungarian Relations from Past to Present” symposium was held by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in 2024, which was declared as the “Turkish-Hungarian Culture Year”.
The symposium was held at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) on April 18, 2024.
The Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Budapest, Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu; TİKA’s Head of Departments in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, Muhammed Ünal, along with many historians and academicians from Türkiye and Hungary attended the symposium.
Giving the opening speech of the symposium, TİKA’s Head of Departments in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, Ünal stated that as TİKA, they will implement four projects within the scope of the Turkish-Hungarian Culture Year to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries also in the cultural field.
Ünal expressed his gladness for bringing together academics who carry out precious studies on history, language and our shared cultural values both in Türkiye and Hungary.
The Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Budapest, Ekşioğlu noted that they are proud that the friendly relations between the two states, which were reestablished with the Treaty of Friendship signed in Istanbul on December 18, 1923, continue without decelerating as they approach their 100th anniversary.
Historian and Writer Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı, Prof. Dr. Pál Fodor, Prof. Dr. Géza Dávid, Prof. Dr. Sandor Papp, who are experts in their fields, gave presentations at the symposium, where Turkish-Hungarian relations were thoroughly discussed.
The symposium ended with the presentation of plaques to the academics participating from Türkiye and Hungary.
Presentations given at the symposium
At the symposium, Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı gave a presentation on “Hungary and Being Ottoman: The Evaluation of Reforms”; Prof. Dr. Géza Dávid on “Districts (Kaza) and Subdistricts (Nahiye) in Ottoman Hungary”; Prof. Dr. Mária Ivanics on “Auxiliaries of the Ottoman Army: Tatars”; Prof. Dr. Pál Fodor on “Echoes of Ottoman-Safavid Wars in the Early 16th Century in a Contemporary Hungarian Historical Epic”; Prof. Dr. Sándor Papp on “Zülfikar Efendi, the Hungarian Head Translator of the Imperial Council (Dîvân-ı Hümâyun) and His Connections in Istanbul”; Doç. Dr. Özgür Kolçak on “Hungary in Ottoman Narratives”; Prof. Dr. Melek Çolak on “Hungarian Experts in Türkiye during Atatürk’s Era”; Dr. Gábor Fodor on “First Hungarians of the Republic of Türkiye: The Example of Levente Wágner”; Doç. Dr. Yücel Namal on “Turkish-Hungarian Diplomatic Visits during the Republican Era”; Doç. Dr. Emre Saral on “The Role of Hungarians in Forming the Turkish National Identity”; Dr. Yunus Kobal on “Efforts to Establish Order in Türkiye and Hungary after the First World War”; Dr. Zoltán Egeresi on “Turkish-Hungarian Relations from 2010 to Present” and Dr. Türkan Özkan on “Hungary-Türkiye Relations in the Context of Ensuring Peace and Security in the International Area: Partnerships and Future Forecasts”.
The “International Symposium on Combating Cyber Crime,” organized by the Justice Academy of Türkiye in cooperation with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the International University of Sarajevo (IUS) in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has concluded.
The symposium was organized with the participation of members of the judiciary and academicians from Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. The President of the Justice Academy of Türkiye, Muhittin Özdemir; TİKA’s Coordinator in Sarajevo, Erdinç Işık, and bureaucrats, academicians, politicians working in the field of law in these countries attended the opening ceremony of the symposium.
The Minister of Justice of the Republic of Türkiye, Yılmaz Tunç, who attended the opening ceremony of the second day sessions of the symposium, delivered a speech at the International Symposium on Combating Cyber Crime, which was hosted by the IUS.
Expressing his pleasure at being in Sarajevo, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Türkiye, Tunç thanked TİKA, the Justice Academy of Türkiye and IUS for their contributions to the organization of the symposium.
Stating that advancements in informatics and technology facilitate and avail lives, Tunç noted that this transformation in informatics also led to an increase in cyber crime, a new type of crime. He also expressed his belief that, in this context, the symposium will enable the participating countries to exchange ideas on legal issues and contribute to taking the relationship between countries a step further in the fight against cyber crime. Tunç also noted that the symposium will be especially beneficial to practitioners.
Within the scope of the program, a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Justice Academy of Türkiye and the IUS to enhance cooperation in the field of legal education.
Within the symposium, the following topics were discussed: “Current State of Cyber Crime and IT Systems Security,” “Fight Against Cyber Crime within International Legislation,” “Electronic Evidence and Investigative Techniques in Combating Cyber Crime,” and “Challenges and Solutions in the Battle Against Cyber Threats”.
The Practice Hotel within the Haydarpaşa Commercial High School, which continues its educational activities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), has been renovated by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
The Haydarpaşa Commercial High School, which has continued its educational activities in the vocational training field in Nicosia since 1959, offers education in accounting, finance, marketing, office management, food and beverage, accommodation, and front office services.
Within the high school, approximately 250 students receive training in food and beverage, accommodation, kitchen, service, reception, front office, and housekeeping.
These trainings take place in the school building consisting of six rooms, a reception, a restaurant and a lobby. The historical but worn-out school building, which has been used for many years, has been renovated by TİKA and put back into service.
The President of the TRNC, Ersin Tatar; the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Environment of the TRNC, Fikri Ataoğlu; the Minister of National Education of the TRNC, Nazım Çavuşoğlu; the Head of the Civil Defense Organization of the TRNC, Atilla Karaca; TİKA’s Coordinator in Nicosia, Havva Pınar Özcan Küçükçavuş; the Director of the Vocational and Technical Education Department of the Ministry of National Education of the TRNC, Gülşen Hocanın, along with teachers and students attended the inauguration ceremony of the “Haydarpaşa Commercial High School Practice Hotel”.
The President of the TRNC, Tatar was hosted at the practice hotel by the students studying tourism.
The renovated section of the Practice Hotel, which features the area where students receive their practical training, also provides short-term accommodation opportunity for teachers and other guests hailing from Türkiye.
“The 1st Turkic States Cardiology Congress” was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
The Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Teymur Musayev; the Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Baku, Cahit Bağcı; Azerbaijani Deputies and many scientists attended the official opening ceremony of the “1st Turkic States Cardiology Congress”, which brought together the leading cardiologists from the Turkic states. The congress was organized by the Scientific Research Institute of Cardiology of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Speaking at the opening of the congress, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Health Musayev emphasized the importance of developing relations between the medical communities of brother countries. He also stated that the congress would provide a useful basis for many issues by sharing knowledge and experiences among experts from the represented countries.
“Hospitals have been established in the regions liberated from occupation”
Stating TİKA’s activities in Azerbaijan and worldwide during his speech, the Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Baku, Bağcı expressed that hospitals have been established by TİKA in the regions liberated from occupation, and international scientific congresses and training programs are supported.
Bağcı stated that discussions and information shared during the congress, which brings together cardiologists from the Turkic states, will contribute to enhance the quality of healthcare services provided to the public in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
In her opening speech, the first female doctor to perform heart transplant surgery in Türkiye, Serap Aka expressed her gratitude to TİKA for their support to the congress.
The opening ceremony of the congress later continued with folklore performances representing the Turkic states.
Within the framework of the 3-day-long congress, specialist doctors invited primarily from Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina delivered presentations on many topics related to heart diseases. Mutual experience-sharing programs were organized.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in cooperation with the An Phu Women’s Union and An Giang Islamic Community based in Vietnam, distributed bicycles to 300 students to contribute to solving the transportation problem faced by Vietnamese students.
As the school attendance rate of girls from low-income families is low, social problems such as children starting school late to contribute to the family’s budget and marrying at an early age are arising. One of these social problems is the “transportation problem”. Especially in rural areas, girls who do not have access to public transportation cannot attend school and are employed at an early age.
The right to access education, one of the fundamental human rights, has become possible for many students thanks to TİKA’s project.
“I don’t have to walk to school anymore”
A 14-year-old Vietnamese, Nguyen Truc, expressed that she is attending the 6th grade and walks for hours every day to go to school. Saying that she got a bicycle thanks to TİKA’s project, Nguyen stated that she is really glad as she will not have to walk to school anymore. She also expressed that the bicycle saves her time, allowing her to help her family with household chores.
Nguyen said, “I don’t have to walk to school anymore and this saves me time. So, we can help our families with the housework.”
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided educational materials for driving, electric-electronic and plumbing courses within the Bangladesh-Türkiye Technical Institute (BTTI).
The driving course within the Bangladesh-Türkiye Technical Institute, established in 2019 with TİKA’s support in Lalmonirhat, located in the north of Bangladesh where mainly low-income families reside, has been inaugurated with a ceremony. At the ceremony, educational materials provided by TİKA for electric-electronic and plumbing courses were delivered.
Within the project, an automobile and a motorcycle were provided for the driving course, and a solar power system was established to meet the building’s electricity needs to a large extent. In addition to this, technical equipment, which will create a full capacity education opportunity, was provided for electric-electronic and plumbing courses.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Motahar Hossain, the Member of the Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group of Türkiye and Bangladesh, emphasized the friendship between Türkiye and Bangladesh, and underlined that TİKA’s projects have left very important marks in this sense.
The project aims to reduce poverty among unemployed young men and women, develop their skills and raise awareness.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided various agricultural equipment needed to support vocational and technical training in the agricultural sector in Zimbabwe.
In Zimbabwe, where the majority of the population earns their livelihood through agriculture, there are vocational training centers structured around different industrial needs. On the other hand, the biggest challenge negatively affecting the quality of education in these training centers is the need for support with modern machines and equipment, arising from the wear and tear of existing equipment.
Within the project implemented in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Harare and the Zimbabwean Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, TİKA has provided 10 peanut sorting machines and 10 corn kernel cutter machines in order to empower Zimbabwean youth and equip them with vocational training skills.
With this project carried out in Zimbabwe, which has arable and fertile lands, it is aimed to enhance the capacity of young people through vocational training.
The President of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Serkan Kayalar, paid official visits in Baghdad, Erbil and Kirkuk within his Iraq program. Within his official visits, Kayalar attended the opening ceremony of the Şakaik Preschool, which was renovated by TİKA, and the iftar dinner program held by the Turkmen Brotherhood Center in Baghdad. He also inaugurated the music classroom established by TİKA within the Kirkuk Turkmen Brotherhood Co-ed School in Kirkuk.
TİKA’s President, Serkan Kayalar held a bilateral meeting with the Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Baghdad, Ali Rıza Güney in the capital of Iraq, Baghdad, during his formal visits. Following the meeting, Kayalar visited TİKA’s Baghdad Program Coordination Office with Ambassador Güney, and received a briefing about TİKA’s projects and activities in Iraq.
TİKA’s President Kayalar met with the Iraqi Minister of Culture
TİKA’s President, Serkan Kayalar met with Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani, the Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities.
At the meeting held at the ministry building in Baghdad, Minister Badrani expressed that TİKA has implemented significant activities in Iraq and has left its mark.
Noting that the Ministry of Culture, Shiite and Sunni foundations have carried out joint activities with TİKA, Badrani said, “Our trust in TİKA puts it in a prior place.”
TİKA’s President Kayalar stated, “We are in the ancient and beautiful city of Baghdad. We are on lands significant for Islam and human history. As TİKA, we are glad to create projects for the Iraqi people. Iraq is a rich country in terms of culture, which makes cultural tourism very important.”
Şakaik Preschool was inaugurated
The Şakaik Preschool, renovated by TİKA, was inaugurated with a ceremony attended by TİKA’s President Serkan Kayalar.
Receiving information from teachers about the preschool, Kayalar visited classrooms, gave gifts to children, chatted with them, and a photograph was taken as a remembrance of the day.
All classrooms, teacher rooms and restrooms of the Şakayik Preschool, which provides education to Turkmen children in Baghdad, were renovated through TİKA’s project. Equipment support was also provided to the school.
The Tombs and Mosques of Abdul Qadir Gilani and Imam al-A’zam were inspected
Inspecting the Tomb and Mosque of Abdul Qadir Gilani, renovated by TİKA, President Kayalar met with Seyit Halit Abdulkadir Mansur Al-Geylani, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Kadiriye Foundation.
After having visited the Mosque and Tomb of Imam al-A’zam, TİKA’s President also inspected the Museum of Imam al-A’zam with Sheikh Abdulwahab Al Taha, a Member of the Iraqi Scholars Association and the Imam of the mosque, and received information about the ongoing work.
During his visit in Iraq, Kayalar also visited the Mosque and Tomb of Sheikh Ma’ruf al-Karkhi, where a library and air conditioning system were established by TİKA, and met with Sheikh Ali al-Harbi, the imam of the mosque.
Kayalar attended iftar dinner organized by the Turkmen Brotherhood Center
TİKA’s President Kayalar attended the food package delivery ceremony which was held at the Brothers Association and carried out within TİKA’s “Ramadan Programs”. Kayalar completed his official visits in Baghdad by meeting with our Turkmen cognates at the iftar dinner hosted by the Turkmen Brotherhood Center.
TİKA’s President Kayalar met with the Minister Responsible for Ethnic Groups of the KRG
TİKA’s President, who has been in Iraq for formal visits, came together with Aydın Maruf, the Minister Responsible for Ethnic Groups of the KRG and a member of the Executive Board of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, and representatives of the Syriac, Chaldean, Assyrian, Kaka’i, Mandaean Sabian and Yazidi people in Erbil, following his visit to Baghdad.
Following his meeting, TİKA’s President inaugurated the “TEBA FM,” established by TİKA within the TEBA Agency, which is a Turkmen media institution based in Erbil, with Minister Maruf. Kayalar emphasized that TEBA FM is a beautiful reflection of concrete cooperation with our Turkmen brothers, and stated that the modernly equipped studio will serve as a training area while providing the opportunity to broadcast live on the internet.
The Music Classroom was inaugurated
Following his formal visits in Erbil, TİKA’s President Kayalar went to Kirkuk and inaugurated the music classroom established by TİKA within the Kirkuk Turkmen Brotherhood Co-ed School.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Kayalar stated that the various instruments provided for the music classroom, established with the motto of “music spreading from Kirkuk to the world,” will be used in future courses by the Iraqi Turkmen Front.
Within his formal visits in Kirkuk, TİKA’s President also visited Türkmeneli TV, the television station which broadcasts in Turkish across Iraq, and received information about activities of the channel.
Kayalar attended the Ramadan food package delivery ceremony held for our Turkmen cognates in Kirkuk within TİKA’s “Ramadan Programs”. He also visited the Iraqi Turkmen Front Presidency and met with Hasan Turan, the President of ITF.
Concluding his formal visits in Kirkuk with the “Türkmeneli Meeting” iftar dinner program, hosted by the Iraqi Turkmen Front, TİKA’s President Kayalar stated that activities for our Turkmen cognates will continue.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided smart boards to the “Haxhi Sheh Shamia” Imam Hatip Schools in the city of Shkodër, Albania.
The “Haxhi Sheh Shamia” Imam Hatip Schools, which have been providing educational activities in Shkodër since 2000 under the Istanbul Brotherhood Solidarity and Cultural Association, aim to modernize educational standards and enhance the quality of education with TİKA’s support.
Twenty-six smart boards provided by TİKA will be utilized in each classroom of the primary school and in some classrooms of the secondary and high school in Shkodër.
Smartboards aim to ensure that teachers engage in lessons more effectively and that students become much more motivated and focused in lessons through visual, audio and video presentations.
About “Haxhi Sheh Shamia” Imam Hatip Schools
The “Haxhi Sheh Shamia” Imam Hatip Schools welcome a total of 1,074 students, including 870 girls and 204 boys. Additionally, students hailing from Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro also study at these schools. Through these technological innovations, it is aimed to reinforce the educational infrastructure of the schools and enhance the quality of education.
