Established with the support of Turkish Coordination and Cooperation Agency (TİKA), the Wood Carving and Training House was inaugurated.
Having a long history in the Western Sub-Saharan countries, the art of wood carving greatly contributes to tourism receipts along with representing the cultural codes of these countries. On the other hand, the wooden manufactured furniture and gears are still being used in the daily use of western sub-Saharan people and continue to maintain their importance.
In the last quarter century, wooden decorative items have been among the favorites of foreign tourists. Thus, the works of African wood craftsmen are exported all over the world.
Decorative wood carving is coming into prominence in Niger along with the other Western Saharan countries, and the wooden items carved with innovative motifs are adding value to the tourism and economy of the country.
In other respects, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Niger is supporting artistic activities adding value to the country's culture and tourism and is encouraging especially the unemployed youth to artistic production for them to learn crafting.
TİKA Supports Cultural and Artistic Activities in Niger
"Wood Carving House", where more than 20 ministry artists earn their incomes working in the Musée National Boubou Hama, the first stop for local and foreign tourists in Niger, was renovated according to the traditional architecture.
In which new craftsmen will be educated and people having an interest in art will receive vocational training, a training house was also built next to the studio where wood craftsmen will be producing.
Established with the help of TİKA, the center was equipped with wooden counters, stools, electrical carving tools, carving knives, a saw, glue, sandpaper, shelves, a closet, a clamp, a sawmill, work clothes and other complementary equipment.
Also, a recreation area was built in the mosque courtyard in a traditional way for the visitors of the museum to rest.
The Youth is Receiving Wood Carving Training
In the first stage, a total of 10 youngsters 2 of which are girls, who are chosen with the coordination of the National Council for Arts and Culture, will receive 40 days of vocational training.
TİKA Wood Carving and Training House official opening ceremony was held with the attendance of Türkiye's Ambassador to Niamey, Özgür Çınar; TİKA's Coordinator in Niamey, Tanju Polat; the President of Musée National Boubou Hama, Haladou Mammane and Chief Physician of the Niger-Türkiye Friendship Hospital, Rezzan Sümeli.
In his speech to the national press, Ambassador Çınar said that the 2-block building for production and training will be essential for the museum activities, will motivate the artistic potential of Niger and will enable the existing talents to practice their professions in the training house equipped with first-class equipment.
Prepared by the project team including, Kırklareli University academicians and Serbia Alumni of Türkiye members and with the support of Turkish Coordination and Coordination Agency, the "Sancak Bölgesi Osmanlı Kültür Mirası: Novi Pazar Hazire Şahideleri" (Sanjak Region Ottoman Cultural Heritage: Novi Pazar Headstones of the Special People Buried in Forbidden Areas) book was launched.
For the launch of the book, a “Sancak Bölgesi Osmanlı Kültür Mirası: Novi Pazar Hazire Şâhideleri” themed panel was organized. The panel was attended by Türkiye's Consul General to Novi Pazar, Osman Peşmen; Authorities of the Alumni of Türkiye (ASMAT), Authorities of Bosnian National Council, Kırklareli University Academicians and many guests along with writers from Türkiye and Novi Pazar.
To protect the local Ottoman cultural heritage, which is on the verge of destruction, 320 headstones were read and transcripted in the forbidden areas of nine mosques in Novi Pazar, the central area of Sanjak Region. Later on, the headstones were translated into Bosnian, collected into a book and brought into the use of researchers with the support of TİKA.
TİKA's Coordinator in Serbia, Mehmet Mete Anaç, stated that Novi Pazar is rich in Ottoman heritage and added that the headstones in the 9 mosques in Novi Pazar were photographed by Kırklareli University academicians and ASMAT members.
Kırklareli University Faculty of Science and Letters Dean, Prof. Dr. Mesut Ayar, in his speech in the panel, mentioned that the headstones represent a civilization and emphasized that especially the youth should know what these headstones refer to. Informing the audience about the meaning and the characteristics of the headstones, Mesut Ayar underlined the fact that the headstones worn off due to the material used and the importance of the book "Novi Pazar Hazire Şâhideleri” prepared with the support of TİKA.
Dr. Asistant Professor Yasin Yayla mentioned the hardships they encountered throughout the preparation process of “Novi Pazar Hazire Şahideleri" and stated that this book is to set an example for the young who are interested in history and culture and to encourage them to do similar searches.
The Sanjak region, located in Serbia's southern west, remained a part of the Ottoman Empire between 1454-1912. Novi Pazar, the central area of the Sanjak Region, became prominent for its Ottoman cultural heritage. As the result of the search conducted by the researchers in the area, be it in forbidden areas or graveyards, many headstones from the Ottoman period were located belonging to imams, mudarris, soldiers, and craftsmen, including the statesmen such as the Bosnian Governor.
A robotic coding center was inaugurated in Bab, a county located in the zone of Operation Euphrates Shield in Northern Syria, with support from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
The Governorship of Gaziantep, Gaziantep Provincial Directorate for National Education, TİKA's officials, regional representatives and council members attended the opening ceremony.
2 thousand students will be able to benefit from the robotic coding center opened in Bizia Imam Hatip High School in Bizia, Bab, which was pacificated with the Operation Euphrates Shield. The students will be prepared for the future with the education given in design and production, artificial intelligence, energy technologies, and aerospace technology in the center.
Syria Education Coordinator of Gaziantep Provincial Directorate for National Education, Halit Ateş, said: "We inaugurated the project to contribute to the improvement of students and further their relationship with robotic coding in Bizia. The center in Bizia will serve all our students."
Turkish Coordination and Cooperation Agency (TİKA) supported the establishment of a modern fitness center for the General Federation of Military Palestinian Sport in Ramallah, Palestine.
An inactive center in the center of Ramallah transformed into a fitness center with construction to improve the physical performance of the athletes and teams who are members of the federation, preparing regular training programs and saving on the cost for the private fitness centers athletes attend.
Türkiye’s Consul General in Jerusalem, Ahmet Rıza Demirer; Chief of Delegation of General Federation of Military Palestinian Sport, Brigadier-General Amal Ahmad Hussein Khalifa; TİKA's Coordinator in Palestine, Orhan Aydın; Manager of Jerusalem, Yunus Emre Institute, Cengiz Eroğlu and federation authorities attended the opening ceremony of the center equipped with sports requisites and equipment.
About the General Federation of Military Palestinian Sport
The General Federation of Military Palestinian Sport, established by the instruction of the deceased President of Palestine, Yaser Arafat, after the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994, includes various sports such as football, volleyball, athleticism, martial arts, archery, table tennis, swimming, and horse riding.
The federation continues to represent Palestine in international tournaments along with the national ones with the teams and athletes from the law enforcements of the country.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) distributed agricultural sets for growing agricultural products at home to 50 mothers who live in Lyari, a locality of Karachi.
Karachi is the most crowded city in Pakistan. It is among the cities that have limited agricultural fields due to overpopulation and uneven urbanization, and therefore agricultural products are hard to get. For this reason, school gardening, vertical farming, soilless agriculture, and micro gardening; all of which are extensions of agricultural production especially in crowded cities, are becoming more common in the city.
TİKA carried on a project to support families who are producing agricultural goods in their homes. In cooperation with the Kiran Foundation, micro agriculture sets were distributed to 50 mothers who live in Lyari, so that they could home grow their organic agricultural products.
After the two-day-long “micro gardening” training mothers took from the academic staff of Sindh Agriculture University, the distribution ceremony took place. The Republic of Türkiye’s Consul General to Karachi, Cemal Sangu, TİKA’s Coordinator in Karachi, Halil İbrahim Başaran, Member of Kiran Foundation’s Board of Directors, Abida Garib, and women from Lyari were present at the ceremony.
The Republic of Türkiye’s Consul General to Karachi, Sangu stated that he took a tour of the music class and library TİKA established at a school in Lyari in 2019, to contribute to the mental development of children living in Lyari. He thanked TİKA for their contributions. In his speech, Sangu emphasized the importance of supporting women along with children, especially mothers. He stated that micro gardens established in homes with TİKA’s support will allow people to breathe in the city environment.
In her speech, Member of Kiran Foundation’s Board of Directors, Garib stated that the TİKA’s previous music class and library establishment project and the current micro agriculture project are both beneficial not only for the children and families who benefit from the project but for the entire society as well. She thanked Türkiye for their generosity.
After the delivery ceremony, the agricultural sets provided by TİKA were distributed to the mothers from Lyari.
With the distributed sets, women from Lyari will be able to grow organic agricultural products in the city that has no agricultural production fields. They will also be able to have a different interaction at home, especially with their children.
With the cooperation of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan, and the Governorship of Fergana, “VI. Women and Fashion Week of the Turkic World” was organized in Margilan, Uzbekistan.
The fashion week was held within the scope of the II. International Festival of Handicrafts, which is supported by TİKA. The opening speech of the fashion week was made by TURKSOY Secretary General, Sultan Raev and Vice Governor of Fergana, Hurşidcan Ahmedov.
Raev stated in his speech:
“It is no coincidence that the first Fashion Week in Uzbekistan is organized in Margilan.” It is because Margilan is known as the source of silk and has hosted more than 30 nationalities throughout centuries, as one of the most important cities of the Silk Road. It is not wrong to say that Margilan is the center of the Turkic World today, just as how it had been the center of the Silk Road in the past.”
TURKSOY Secretary General, Raev continued his speech, stating, “These events are strengthening the friendship and sisterhood between the Turkic people, as well as giving opportunities of experience to our well-known designers and setting an example to our young talents.”
“Women and Fashion Week of the Turkic World” is organized to promote our traditional clothing to the world and pass it to the next generation, by designing them to fit the modern time. It was held in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, and Mongolia before.
“Women and Fashion Week of the Turkic World” took place on the last week of September. The fashion show organized within its scope was presented to fashion lovers. The show included products of Turkic World’s designers such as Gülnara Halilova (Azerbaijan), Aigul Zhanserikova (Kazakhstan), Gulzhan Iresh and Zalkarbek Askarali Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), Lali Fazilova, Luiza Kamolova and Shukhrat Ergashev (Uzbekistan), Tezcan Ergün and Yasemin Küçük Şahin (Türkiye), Sultan Saliyev (Tatarstan, R.F.), Anzhelika Kirillina (Sakha-Yakutia, RF), Kima Dongak (Tyva, R.F.) and Mandul Bazar (Mongolia).
Within the scope of the “Feeding Rack Corn Kernel Project” carried out by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the first harvest took place in Paşaköy.
The first harvest, which took place on the corn field in Paşaköy, was reaped with the combine harvester used by Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador in Nicosia, Prof. Dr. Metin Feyzioğlu and TRNC Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hüseyin Çavuş.
Within the scope of the Feeding Rack Corn Kernel Project which was carried out with the cooperation of TİKA and TRNC State Production Farms, the aim is to reduce TRNC’s foreign-source dependency.
TİKA provided the agricultural equipment used to produce feeding rack corn kernel, which was harvested in TRNC for the first time.
Also, seed and fertilizer were provided and an irrigation system was installed for the project.
Seeds With High Productivity Were Located
Minister Çavuş stated that with the project, studies are being carried out to locate seeds with high productivity and to determine healthy products with low input costs in the upcoming years.
Çavuş stated that they have harvested the corn kernel within this scope and their goal is to increase the sustainability of animal husbandry in the country. He thanked TİKA for their support.
Ambassador Feyzioğlu stated: “Agriculture and animal husbandry are in good hands. TRNC has to become an affluent society, and an industry based on agriculture and animal husbandry is the way to achieve it.
Feyzioğlu also stated that they are working towards providing infrastructure before the water comes and carrying out studies to determine which product would have the most productivity.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided equipment support to Ali Pasha’s Palace Museum in Gaza, Palestine.
The historical Ali Pasha’s Palace Museum is in the Old City region of Gaza. It contains a rich historical heritage. The palace was built in the 7th century, during the reign of Mamluk Sultan Baybars. It was used for different purposes during different periods. It stands out with the historical events which it witnessed.
This historical site was used as the Gaza Governor’s Residence during the Mamluks’ reign. During the Ottoman Empire’s reign, Pasha’s Palace was given various names such as Darussaade Palace and Rıdvan Palace, referring to the family.
Also, because Napoleon Bonaparte took residence here during the siege of Bilad al-Sham, it was given the name “Napoleon Castle”.
Ali Pasha’s Palace serves as the first State Museum in Gaza, exhibiting important artifacts that belong to thousands of years ago. In this museum, visitors can see valuable artifacts that belong to the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic civilizations.
Within the scope of the project carried out by TİKA, exhibition showcases in various sizes and features were provided, enabling more historical and archeological artifacts to be exhibited.
Ali Pasha’s Palace Museum is being visited by more than 35,000 local tourists every year. This project helps protect common cultural heritage and enables more people to discover this historical abundance.
This historical palace of Gaza, as a rare example that represents Islamic architecture, carries the tradition of the past to modern times and presents its visitors with an unforgettable journey of history.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided equipment support to the dining hall and laundry room of the new preschool building in Sincera village, Kishinev.
Sincera is in the suburbs of Kishinev, and more than 300 children have to go to Kishinev from there every day. Therefore, the local municipality started building a preschool, which took more than 10 years due to the lack of resources. However, it was not active because of the inefficiencies of the dining hall and laundry room. With the support provided by TİKA, the dining hall and laundry room were equipped with modern equipment and made available to the preschool which has a capacity for 320 children. Alongside TİKA, the Municipality of Kishinev, the Municipality of Sincera, and the state of Romania also contributed to the building and equippment of the preschool.
The opening ceremony of the preschool building was attended by Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Kishinev, Uygar Mustafa Sertel, Romania’s Ambassador to Kishinev, Cristian-Leon Turcanu, Mayor of Kishinev, Ion Cheban, Mayor of Sincera, Valeriu Popa, TİKA’s Coordinator in Kishinev, Selda Özdenoğlu, local authorities, families and many invitees.
In his speech, Ambassador Sertel emphasized the good relations Türkiye and Moldova have had for many years. Stating that there are many projects and activities carried out by Türkiye, Sertel especially emphasized the importance given to the children and education.
Mayor of Kishinev, Ion Cheban thanked TİKA for their contribution to the development of the region and flourishing of the city.
In her speech, TİKA’s Coordinator, Selda Özdenoğlu stated that TİKA is carrying out many projects and activities in the country, however, the subject they give the most importance to is improving the facilities for children’s education, as they are the future of the country. Özdenoğlu especially emphasized the importance of preschool education for the country’s development.
Predominantly, TİKA gives importance to preschool education projects among the projects carried out in Moldova. TİKA equipped and renovated many preschool buildings in the Gagauzia Region. “Comrade Nasreddin Hoca Preschool”, construction of which was completed by TİKA is considered to be one of the best preschools in the country.
The 7-days-long "Search and Rescue in Nature Training Program" about disaster management and search and rescue methods and techniques, organized for Pakistani search and rescue teams by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) with the cooperation of İHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation Disaster Academy and Scouts Unions of Sindh came to an end.
With the training program carried out by İHH and Scouts Unions of Sindh within the scope of the Emergency and Disaster Response Training Program (ADAMEP) by TİKA, theoretical and practical training on disaster management, search and rescue methods and techniques were provided to Pakistani search and rescue teams in Karachi.
Türkiye's Consul General to Karachi, Cemal Sangu; the Government of Sindh Previous Chief Secretary, Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah; TİKA's Coordinator in Karachi, Halil İbrahim Başaran and Pakistani authorities were present in the closing ceremony of the 7-days-long training program held in Sindh Scouts Training Center in Karachi.
In his speech at the ceremony, which started with the search and rescue drill carried out with the Turkish trainers and the trainees, Sangu pointed out the importance of such search and rescue training and mentioned that Türkiye is happy to share their expertise in the field with Pakistan.
The Government of Sindh Previous Chief Secretary, Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, reminded the audience of the importance of saving lives and that saving a life means saving all lives and thanked Türkiye and TİKA for their support for search and rescue training.
TİKA's Coordinator, Halil İbrahim Başaran, stated that this training was the beginning, and training in this field will continue and thanked every institution for their support, particularly Sindh Scouts. Pointing out the climate change and the disasters that occurred recently, Başaran added that he is pleased that the two friendly countries, Pakistan and Türkiye, are cooperating for disaster management. He said that the training courses as part of the Emergency and Disaster Response Training Program (ADAMEP) will continue with "Advanced Search and Rescue in Nature" and Water and Urban Search and Rescue" training.
Search and rescue volunteer Rabia, who attended the training, stated in her speech that she imagined herself rescuing people in these mountains before the training, that she learned far beyond in this training and looking forward to the next.
The closing ceremony came to an end with the certificates being presented to more than fifty search and rescue volunteers from different provinces of Sindh state.
On the other hand, the equipment provided by TİKA to be used for training was presented to the Scouts Unions of Sindh.
Pakistan is one of the 10 countries that are most defenseless to climate change. 1739 people lost their lives due to last year's flooding disasters, and the cost of the flood disaster for Pakistan is more than 32 billion dollars.
The "Sensory Perception Room"' was inaugurated in a school located in Skopje, the capital city of North Macedonia, by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
The Vice President of TİKA, Dr Mahmut Çevik; TİKA's Coordinator in Skopje, Mehmet Bayrak; Skopje's Centar Municipality Mayor, Goran Gerasimovski; school administrators and teachers were present at the opening ceremony of the special room in Kiro Gligorov Elementary School located in Skopje's Centar Municipality.
Making statements and reminding the audience that they have been serving North Macedonia for 19 years, Çevik said: " 360 of the nearly 1200 projects we have carried out were in the educational field. 60 of the projects were the buildings of schools and modifications."
Çevik stated that carrying out the "Sensory Perception Room" project in North Macedonia means a lot to them.
Explaining that the "sensory room" was built comprehensively with its sensory desk, dark room, tent and lightning, Çevik said:" This is a room that will contribute to bringing our hyperactive and disadvantaged children to a level enabling them to respond to the treatment. This is an important project both for our children, especially needing treatment and for it to serve as an example in Skopje."
Çevik mentioned that they hope to be able to carry out new and great projects for disadvantaged groups and children in the future.
Mentioning the other projects of TİKA in the area, Çevik stated that they built the first Down and Autism Center in the capital of Skopje, Pristina and again in Pristina, they supported the development of the corporate capacity of Perparimi Center for Mentally Handicapped where nearly 135 mentally handicapped people receive services.
Çevik also stated that they built the Sensory Perception Rooms, squares and gardens of the Vinko Bek Center for Education for Visually Impaired, and they built an annex for a center for the visually impaired in Podgorica.
Pointing out that they have offices in 62 countries, Çevik mentioned that they support the development of the countries via these offices and more than 30 thousand projects.
Centar Municipality Mayor Gerasimovsi emphasized the importance of investing in the development of early childhood and said that the rooms opened is a step toward the full participation of the children.
Stating that they put a lot of effort into building these types of rooms in all the schools within the municipality, and there are such rooms in a few other schools, Gerasimovski said: As of today, the "Sensory Perception Room" will be open in our Kiro Gligorov school thanks to our friends in Türkiye and TİKA."
After the statements, the Kiro Gligorov Elementary School Principal presented a plaque to TİKA's Vice President Çevik.
Mahmut Çevik, Vice President of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), made talks in the capital city of North Macedonia, Skopje.
Getting together with the principals of the elementary schools which provide education in Turkish in the country, in the Headquarters of the Union of Turkish Non-Governmental Organizations in Macedonia (MATÜSİTEB), Çevik delivered the technical materials provided within the scope of the project to develop the school's visual and IT infrastructure.
MATÜSİTEB President, Tahsin İbrahim and TİKA's Coordinator in Skopje, Mehmet Bayrak accompanied Çevik.
In his speech, Çevik thanked people who enabled Turkish people born in North Macedonia to get their natural right to Turkish education.
Pointing out that they contributed to the development of Turkish language and it becoming widespread with their cooperation with MATÜSİTEB, Çevik said: "TİKA started its official activities in 2005 and since then, for 19 years, with its nearly 1200 projects, helped this country to develop in every sector and area. Education projects aggregate in these 1200 projects. Hence, 31% of these nearly 1200 projects are investments for the education field."
Reminding the audience that they worked to build the corporate capacities of courses, in-service training institutions, pre-schools, elementary and vocational education fields, Çevik stated that they completed the construction and modifications of nearly 60 schools.
Çevik also stated that they provided education to 1,500 students by opening nearly 25 Turkish courses in 22 provinces with MATÜSİTEB's teachers and associations.
Mentioning that they will deliver projection and infrastructure materials to the schools, Çevik chats with the teachers later on.
MATÜSİTEB President, İbrahim, stated that there are more than 8 thousand students receiving education in Turkish and 549 Turkish teachers in North Macedonia.
Emphasizing that TİKA supports education along with many fields, İbrahim said: "With the building of elementary schools, modifications, training materials, the supports to students such as stationary, scholarships and school buses, Turkish education in North Macedonia became inviting."
The Balkans Writing Workshop Meetings Central Program
Çevik attended the Balkans Writing Workshop Meetings organized by the Writers Union of Balkans and the Writers Union of Eurasia with the coordination of MATÜSİTEB and the support of TİKA.
Making statements to press members, Çevik mentioned that the project they started to develop Turkish, to follow the steps of the poet and writers who were born in this country and served the Turkish language, to get to the same level as them and to educate new young writers to preserve the Turkish language is bringing results.
Çevik said: "The works of our young writers who attended this program were put together into a book and served to people. We hope that this project will continue."
Reminding that they organized this program for the first time in 2019, the President of the Writers Union of Eurasia, Yakup Ömeroğlu, stated that they aim to help young writers gain in literature and bring their talents forward.
Noting that the program received positive results and there are lots of talented youngers, Ömeroğlu said: "We took them in a two-year program. We publish the work they wrote in this two-year program in literary magazines. After two years, if their work reaches the volume of a book, we also publish them as a book."
Mentioning that the workshop has been successful for 4 years since 2019, the President of the Writers Union of Balkans, Mürteza Sulooca, said: "More than 20 trainees completed the workshop. Trainees published more than 30 of their original works."
Sulooca added that they will hold workshop demo programs in different provinces, high schools and associations in North Macedonia and Kosovo in the near future.
