Serkan Kayalar, President of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), was a guest at the “Velhasıl” program organized by the Ankara Representative Office of the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA). Held in a warm and engaging atmosphere, the event brought together Kayalar and young participants for an insightful session. During the program, he delivered a presentation titled “TİKA’s Role in Türkiye’s International Development Cooperation”.
In his remarks, Kayalar reflected on Türkiye’s growing role in international development in recent years, emphasizing that TİKA’s global projects provide not only technical assistance but also promote a spirit of solidarity and brotherhood.
“As TİKA, we represent Türkiye’s conscience and culture of sharing in every country where we operate. Our development projects are designed not only for immediate impact, but also for long-term social benefit”, Kayalar said, stressing the importance of youth engagement in this mission. He added that TİKA aims to shape the future with the enduring values of the past and underlined the need to raise a generation with a strong sense of international responsibility.
An Interactive Meeting with Young People
During the program, young participants posed questions about TİKA’s field projects. Serkan Kayalar emphasized that development diplomacy extends beyond state institutions, involving civil society and youth as well. He encouraged young people to take on greater responsibility in this important field.
Participants had the opportunity to gain firsthand insight into Türkiye’s international activities, while also deepening their awareness of public diplomacy, volunteering, and global solidarity.
The event concluded with a group photo taken to commemorate the day.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided digital archiving equipment to the Institute for the Development of the Crimean Tatar Language, established under the Crimean Tatar National Assembly.
In February 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted the “Strategy for the Development and Dissemination of the Crimean Tatar Language 2022–2032”. To implement this strategy, the Institute for the Development of the Crimean Tatar Language was founded in 2023. The Institute conducts research and leads efforts to preserve, develop, and promote the social, structural, historical, and cultural dimensions of the Crimean Tatar language.
To support these efforts effectively, TİKA provided technical assistance to the Institute to help preserve the Crimean Tatar language, which is classified as “Seriously Endangered” by UNESCO. With the book and document scanning equipment supplied by TİKA, the Institute’s digital archive infrastructure was significantly strengthened.
This support made it possible to digitize and archive scientific, educational, literary, and media works written in the Crimean Tatar language. The aim is to preserve the written heritage of the language, pass it on to future generations and ensure global accessibility. The digital library established with TİKA’s contribution fills a critical gap and represents a sustainable step toward the survival and revitalization of the language.
Speaking at the equipment handover ceremony, Mustafa Ametov, Director of the Institute for the Development of the Crimean Tatar Language, stated that the infrastructure established with the equipment provided by TİKA has made it possible to digitize many hard-to-access works. This development, he noted, will not only enrich the resources available for research on the Crimean Tatar language but also ensure that Crimean Tatar literature is preserved for future generations—a step that is expected to raise global interest. Ametov expressed his gratitude to TİKA, Türkiye, and the Turkish people for their support.
Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, emphasized that TİKA’s equipment support is of great importance for the thousands of Crimean Tatars who were forced to leave their homeland following the 2014 occupation. He noted that digitizing valuable books, documents, and publications brought abroad by Crimean Tatars will play a crucial role in preserving their language and culture for future generations. Chubarov added that these efforts will create a lasting source to communicate the just cause of the Crimean Tatar people to the world, and he thanked TİKA and the Republic of Türkiye for their continued support.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) contributed to regional education by establishing classrooms for four-year-olds as part of an early childhood education project in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
The classrooms, created through a joint project between TİKA and the Municipality of Bucaramanga, were inaugurated with the participation of Beste Pehlivan Sun, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Bogotá; Jaime Andrés Beltrán, Mayor of Bucaramanga; officials from TİKA’s Bogotá office; Martha Cecilia Guarín Lizcano, Secretary of Education of the Municipality of Bucaramanga; Julian Diaz Zambrano, Secretary of International Relations; as well as parents, teachers, school administrators, and representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Colombia.
In line with the criteria set by the Ministry of National Education, a total of 10 early childhood classrooms were established in 10 different public schools across the city. For the first time in Bucaramanga, four-year-old children have been included in public school education. The project will provide education to 200 children per semester with the goal of reaching more than 1,000 families over a five-year period.
This initiative by TİKA is a pilot project that lays the foundation for opening additional classrooms throughout the city. Expanding public support for parents, particularly those who wish to enter the workforce but lack childcare options, is crucial. In this regard, the project aims to improve overall social welfare by enhancing the quality of life for both children and their families.
By facilitating the participation of parents in the workforce, especially those without access to childcare, the project also contributes to broader societal well-being. In addition to the direct educational benefits for children, it seeks to support the quality of life of families.
“Hope not only to children but also to their families”
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Jaime Andrés Beltrán, Mayor of Bucaramanga, emphasized the importance of providing safe and high-quality educational environments for children. He stated, “These classrooms have brought hope not only to children but also to their families. I thank the Republic of Türkiye and TİKA for this valuable contribution.”
Martha Cecilia Guarín Lizcano, Secretary of Education, highlighted the project’s social impact and remarked, “Thanks to these classrooms, families no longer need to turn to the private sector or leave their children with unqualified caregivers. We are grateful to TİKA.”
Alessandro Cacciapuoti, Regional Director of IOM Cúcuta, stated that the initiative carried out under the slogan “Together we are much more!” has become a tangible success thanks to the support of TİKA.
In Bucaramanga, where the Venezuelan migrant population is significant, the project holds great importance for migrant families as well. IOM provides technical support to the classrooms established with TİKA’s assistance. As a result, a comprehensive development process has been launched, including the implementation of social, and psychological support programs in schools.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has renovated and equipped the Rehabilitation Center for People with Disabilities in the city of Girón, located in Colombia’s Santander Department. With this support, the center has resumed operations at full capacity.
The project, implemented by TİKA, aims to enhance the life skills of individuals with disabilities and their caregivers, improve access to healthcare services, and promote entrepreneurship among them.
The opening ceremony of the center was attended by Beste Pehlivan Sun, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Bogotá; Campo Elías Ramírez, Mayor of Girón; representatives from TİKA and the International Organization for Migration (IOM); as well as individuals with disabilities registered at the center and their families. During the event, some of the center’s care recipients gave short performances.
In his speech at the ceremony, Mayor Ramírez emphasized the center’s importance for the local community and described Türkiye’s support as “a model example of international solidarity”. He noted that the center represents an investment not only in the present but also in the future.
Previously, the center operated under the Social Development Secretariat of the Municipality of Girón with limited capacity, offering only examination and counseling services. Due to the lack of physical therapy facilities, medical care, and specialized educational materials, it was unable to provide comprehensive support.
TİKA provided the center with physiotherapy and rehabilitation devices, special education classroom equipment, and machinery for skill development courses. With this support, the center was fully equipped to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families.
In Girón, approximately 10,140 people with disabilities are registered. The renovated center now addresses the long-standing challenges these individuals have faced in accessing physiotherapy, psychological support, and educational services.
By serving not only local residents but also vulnerable groups who have migrated from Venezuela, the center stands as a model of social inclusion. The project contributes to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the areas of “reducing inequalities”, “access to healthcare”, and “inclusive education”.
The sustainability of the center is supported by the IOM, while expert staffing is ensured through partnerships with local universities and educational institutions.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has established a tailoring workshop at the Central Prison in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The workshop aims to equip formerly incarcerated women with vocational skills, empowering them to produce and contribute economically after their release.
As part of the project, which seeks to support social reintegration and reduce the risk of reoffending, former inmates will receive vocational training in tailoring. The initiative is designed to help them adapt to economic life post-release and rejoin society as skilled, self-sufficient individuals.
Somali Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hassan Moallin Mohamud Sheikh Ali; Türkiye’s Ambassador to Mogadishu, Alper Aktaş; TİKA officials and representatives from the Prisons Administration attended the opening ceremony of the project.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Aktaş emphasized that every individual deserves a second chance and that the workshop was designed to serve this purpose. Minister Moallin expressed his belief that the initiative would help prevent reoffending and extended his gratitude to TİKA and Türkiye for their support.
The project also aims to play a key role in social rehabilitation, as the textile products manufactured in the workshop will contribute to the local market and offer participants the opportunity to generate income.
The 7.7 and 6.4 magnitude earthquakes that struck on March 28, 2025, with epicenters in the Sagaing Region of central Myanmar, caused widespread devastation—particularly in Mandalay State. Affecting tens of thousands of people, the disaster prompted an immediate response from Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), which stood in solidarity with the people of Myanmar from the very first moment.
Responding swiftly to the Myanmar government’s call for international assistance, TİKA delivered aid packages containing essential supplies to 1,000 families in the heavily affected regions of Mandalay, Sagaing, and the capital Naypyidaw.
In addition, TİKA set up tents to provide temporary shelter in the disaster-affected areas and placed garbage bins to support waste management and protect public health. Solar-powered lighting equipment was also made available to help disaster victims cope with power outages.
TİKA distributed hot meals to 1,000 people daily for three consecutive days across Mandalay State. The solidarity demonstrated by Türkiye during this difficult time was warmly received by the people of Myanmar. Earthquake victims expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Turkish people and TİKA.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) renovated and equipped the working hall of the Baščaršija Cultural Artistic Association, based in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Through this support to the Baščaršija Cultural Artistic Association—which has been working for nearly 80 years to preserve traditional folk dances and provide education in various branches of art and music—the aim is to safeguard cultural heritage and pass it on to future generations.
Within the scope of the project carried out by TİKA, the study hall used by the Sarajevo Baščaršija Cultural Artistic Association was renovated and equipped to help preserve traditional folk dances and continue training in music and art. The association, which has approximately 200 members, will now be able to pursue its cultural activities in more modern facilities with 13 different training and performance groups operating within its own halls.
The Baščaršija Cultural Artistic Association, which continued its activities even during the war in the 1990s—organizing 49 programs during that period—remains committed to promoting the country’s cultural heritage both within Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad.
An opening ceremony was held
The opening ceremony of the renovated hall was held with the participation of TİKA’s President, Serkan Kayalar; Mirela Bećirović, wife of Denis Bećirović, the Bosniak Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Mayor of Stari Grad, Irfan Čengić; TİKA’s Coordinator in Sarajevo, Erdinç Işık, and local officials.
Speaking at the ceremony, TİKA President Mr. Kayalar recalled the words of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye: “A nation deprived of art has lost one of its life veins,” and emphasized the importance of communities working in the fields of culture and the arts.
Stating that TİKA has carried out more than 1,100 projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past 30 years, Kayalar said, “We are pleased to have renovated the working hall of the Baščaršija Cultural Artistic Association to help them continue their activities under better conditions and to contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage.”
Following the ceremony, President Kayalar watched a performance of Bosnian folk dances by the young members of the association.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided humanitarian aid to rural communities facing harsh weather conditions in the high-altitude Huancavelica region of Peru, one of the areas most severely affected by climate change.
As part of the aid activities carried out in cooperation with the Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation (APCI) and the Huancavelica Regional Government, coats, boots, and blankets were distributed to rural indigenous communities living at approximately 4,000 meters above sea level, who primarily rely on livestock for their livelihoods.
The local population, whose living conditions had become increasingly difficult and whose economic activities were disrupted due to extreme cold, entered the winter season better prepared thanks to TİKA’s support. The aid provided to those in need—particularly the elderly, children, women, and individuals working outdoors—was warmly welcomed by the people of the region.
The relief operation aimed to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis on vulnerable communities living at high altitudes under harsh weather conditions, while also strengthening their resilience. It further stood out as a strong example of a community-based response to climate change and international solidarity.
Climate Crisis and Poverty in Rural Peru
Between 2022 and 2023, extreme poverty increased in 20 of Peru’s 24 regions. In Huancavelica—one of the hardest-hit areas—a quarter of the population, approximately 350,000 people, falls into the extreme poverty category according to official records.
The extreme cold season, which has intensified in the region due to climate change, is severely impacting rural families, particularly those who depend on farming and alpaca breeding for their livelihoods. With limited resources to meet even their basic clothing needs, many struggle to fight cold-related illnesses. Food security also remains a serious concern across the region.
Increasing Resilience Through Alpaca Farming
The Alpaca Farm project, established by TİKA in 2024 in the region, has made a significant contribution to sustaining alpaca breeding, which is increasingly threatened by climate change. As part of the project—developed to support farmers facing challenges such as early frosts, irregular rainfall, drought, and diminishing water resources—it was reported that no newborn alpacas died from freezing or lack of resources within the first year.
Projects like these, carried out by TİKA in rural Peru, provide not only humanitarian assistance but also crucial support for local development, food security, and resilience to the climate crisis.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) opened a neonatal intensive care unit at Port Hospital in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan.
The opening ceremony was attended by Sudanese Minister of Health, Heysem Muhammed Ibrahim; Türkiye’s Ambassador to Khartoum, Fatih Yıldız; and TİKA’s Coordinator in Sudan, Galip Yılmaz.
Minister Ibrahim expressed his gratitude for the support provided by the government and the people of Türkiye in Sudan.
Stating that the cooperation between the two countries in the health sector has led to the implementation of many projects, including training, and treatment protocols, Ibrahim emphasized the significance of Türkiye’s support for the rehabilitation of Suakin Hospital and the establishment of Turkish hospitals across the country.
Türkiye’s Ambassador to Khartoum, Fatih Yıldız, noted that health is one of the key areas of Türkiye’s cooperation with Sudan, highlighting that hospitals built by TİKA in various states of Sudan—both before and after the war—are well known and appreciated by the Sudanese people.
Underlining the special importance they placed on healthcare during this period, Yıldız pointed out that Port Sudan currently serves as the country’s temporary administrative center and hosts a large number of displaced people. He explained that Port Hospital is heavily burdened and that the newly established neonatal clinic, and intensive care unit will help meet urgent needs.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) contributed to the development of athletes by providing a transportation vehicle and sports equipment to the Rugvica Municipality Sports Clubs Association in Croatia.
As part of the project, TİKA donated a shuttle bus to the Rugvica Municipality Sports Clubs Association, located near the capital, Zagreb, to facilitate athletes’ participation in national and international tournaments. Additionally, sports equipment was provided to the Silver Eagle Rugvica Savate Club.
The service vehicle provided by TİKA facilitates the participation of athletes in tournaments organized in Croatia and neighboring countries, while the equipment support strengthens their training and competition preparation. These contributions aim to enhance the capacity of the Rugvica Municipality Sports Clubs Association and encourage greater athletic success.
Rugvica Municipality supports 10 different sports clubs in its efforts to promote sports at the grassroots level and to raise healthy, active and young individuals. As recent sporting achievements have increased the need for improved infrastructure, TİKA’s support has helped to bridge this gap.
The Silver Eagle Rugvica Savate Club, which attracted significant attention with its 50 athletes despite being established only three years ago, stands out with the medals it won at international tournaments and the events it hosted. Young athletes from the clubs under the municipality’s umbrella continue to successfully represent the region by earning notable achievements at both national and international competitions.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in cooperation with the West African Women’s Association (AFAO), provided agricultural equipment to the training center operating in the Gorom region of Senegal.
The solar-powered agricultural product dryer with shelves/grids, along with grain grinding and peeling machines and tomato and peanut processing machines supplied by TİKA, have been made available for use by women farmers.
AFAO, which operates on fertile agricultural lands along the Atlantic Ocean coast, provides certified agricultural training to approximately 3,000 women farmers, enabling them to package and market fruits, vegetables, and various agricultural products under a cooperative brand. In this way, women are encouraged to actively participate in production and contribute to their family incomes.
Within the scope of the project implemented with the support of TİKA, the technical capacity of the training center will be enhanced, and the market value of the women farmers’ products will be increased. Speaking at the opening ceremony, AFAO President Khady Fall Tall thanked Türkiye and TİKA, stating that the support provided will significantly contribute to the economic empowerment of women farmers and help enhance their family incomes.
TİKA continues to contribute to development cooperation through projects that support women’s participation in economic life across the region.
In cooperation with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Turkish Administrative Research Foundation (TIAV), the presentation of the book “Uzbekistan: State, Society and Migration” and its associated research project was held in Samarkand.
Edited by Onur Ender Aslan and contributed to by 14 academics, the book offers a multifaceted exploration of Uzbekistan. Based on field studies and empirical data, it stands out as one of the most comprehensive works on this subject produced in Türkiye.
The launch event attracted significant interest from Uzbek academic circles. Interviews with local authorities and field observations provided valuable data on the country’s social structure and development strategies.
In addition to strengthening academic and cultural ties between Türkiye and Uzbekistan, the project also paved the way for the establishment of a sustainable cooperation network between academics from both countries.
