Turkology Department in North Macedonia Renovated with TİKA Support

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) renovated the library, educational facilities, and administrative offices of the Turkish Language and Literature Department at Saints Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. Additionally, TİKA provided essential equipment to support the department’s operations.

The opening ceremony of the project was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Skopje, Fatih Ulusoy; TİKA’s Vice President, Dr. Mahmut Çevik; Dean of the Blaže Koneski Faculty of Philology, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Martinovski; Head of the Turkish Language and Literature Department, Prof. Dr. Osman Emin; MATÜSİTEB President, Tahsin İbrahim; North Macedonian Members of Parliament, political party representatives, numerous academics, poets, Turkologists, students, and representatives of Turkish institutions and organizations in the country.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Ulusoy emphasized the indispensable role of the Turkish language for Turks, stating that where there is no Turkish, Turks cannot breathe. He expressed gratitude to everyone involved in teaching Turkish, reaffirming Türkiye’s unwavering support for North Macedonia. Ambassador Ulusoy also expressed hope to celebrate future successes and proud moments of the Turkology Department together.

TİKA’s Vice President Çevik highlighted TİKA’s significant contributions to advancing and promoting the Turkish language and Turkology globally. He noted that TİKA has implemented over 500 projects dedicated to Turkology to date.

Highlighting their ongoing commitment to the development of the Turkish language in the region, Çevik stated: “We have implemented approximately 122 Turkology projects across the Balkans and Eastern Europe. These projects include the renovation and equipping of Turkology departments, educational initiatives, the provision and support of teaching materials, pedagogical training programs for educators, and the exchange of expertise.”

Blaže Koneski Faculty of Philology Dean Martinovski expressed gratitude for the support provided to enhance and modernize the Turkology Department. He remarked, “I hope Turkology will continue to grow within our university and that this growth will be achieved in collaboration with all universities where Turkology is taught.”

Thanks to the project completed by TİKA, Turkology Department students now have access to a modernized and fully renovated learning environment, enabling them to pursue their studies under improved conditions.