Projects

Every beautiful journey has an end. As the Turkish World Youth Council's Representative Office in Kyrgyzstan, we met for the last time with our management board and evaluated the period we left behind. We discussed the projects we implemented together, the difficulties we experienced, and what needs to be done for the next period. Then, we presented the certificates to our companions who worked hard throughout the year.\n\nFor me, this meeting had a slightly different meaning. I was also reaching the end of my duty as the Representative Office in Kyrgyzstan, which I carried out with great honor along with my graduation. In this journey, which we started as a handful of young people, we gradually built beautiful friendships, met many people, and worked together on many projects. To everyone who walked with us at some point on our path, whether they are in this photo or not, I sincerely thank you today. I'm glad our paths crossed. May your way be clear, my friends.

In one of our recent activities in Kyrgyzstan, as the Turkic Youth Council, we visited the Umut Evi Senior and Disabled Individuals Social Care Institution. We chatted with our elders and listened to their life experiences. We also delivered basic necessity items worth 10,000 Kyrgyz som to the institution with the support of our General Headquarters.\n\nThe interesting part of the story is that, despite having worked for years for Turkish youth in Kyrgyzstan, I ended my last activity there by visiting our elders without having planned it. At that time, I wasn't really aware of it. Now, looking back, it gives me a special meaning that my journey in Kyrgyzstan ended this way.

As I approached the last days in Kyrgyzstan, we organized one more event that left beautiful memories. We moved the Open Air Film Days, which we started the previous year at Manas University, this time to the TTEÖMER campus with the cooperation of the Turkic Youth Council and TTEÖMER Bishkek. For two evenings, we met under the stars with approximately 300 participants; we watched the films "My Companion" on the first day and "The Cep Hero: Naim Süleymanoğlu" on the second day. There was a very warm atmosphere where we laughed, were moved, and chatted together. What made this event special for me was not only the films we watched. It was being able to share such a beautiful two evenings with my team, with whom I have worked side by side for years, as I approached the end of my journey in Kyrgyzstan. One of the memories I still miss today.

One of the most valuable gains of my years in Kyrgyzstan was the friendships and mutual trust we established with different institutions. As the Representative Office of the Turkic World Youth Council in Kyrgyzstan, together with my companions Umutcan Çelik, Azra Yüksel, and Mevlüt Camgöz, we participated in the 15th anniversary celebrations of the Kyrgyz Youth Parliament. In the program, which included the deputy minister, members of parliament, and representatives of various public institutions, I had the opportunity to give a congratulatory speech on behalf of our office. We expressed our brotherhood with a small but meaningful gift, by presenting a portrait of Atatürk and flowers to the host institution. It was also very pleasant to meet youth representatives from different cities of Kyrgyzstan and to learn that our work was also followed in different regions of the country. Being welcomed so warmly and sincerely far away from my own country reminded me once again how valuable the bonds we established in Kyrgyzstan are to me.

We had taken important steps to carry our work, which started at Manas University, to different universities in Kyrgyzstan. After Kyrgyz National University, we started our organization process at Kyrgyz State Technical University. This university, which hosts important investments such as the Cezeri Lab established by TİKA, we aimed to create a solid and sustainable youth structure. Throughout this process, my colleague Umutcan Çelik, who was the vice president at that time, took on the greatest responsibility. He carried out all operations, from discussions to planning, with great dedication. For me, the best part of these activities was not only that the structure we built reached new universities, but also that my team members took initiative and embraced this journey. I would like to especially mention my brother Umutcan's efforts here.

It was important for us that youth activities do not remain limited to culture and art, but also take responsibility in the fields of science and technology. We were invited to the evaluation process organized by the Cezeri Lab, established within the Kyrgyzstan Polytechnic University by TİKA. Along with academics and TİKA officials, we took part in the jury to determine the team that will participate in the CezeriFest to be held in Turkey. During this process where we evaluated the projects of four teams, it was very meaningful for us to contribute to a team's opportunity to receive education in Turkey. It was a different and beautiful experience where we closely witnessed the efforts and enthusiasm of young people in the field of technology, outside of the organizations we are used to.

One of our most important goals was to transfer the structure we established at Manas University to other universities. With the proposal of Doç. Dr. Burul Elebesova, head of the Turkology Department at Kyrgyz National University, and the approval of our General Headquarters, we took the first step towards this goal. This process, which we initiated together with my deputy at that time, Umutcan Çelik, was particularly significant as it was our first organizational attempt outside Manas University. During those days when I was dealing with the intensity of my graduation thesis, my brother Umutcan took on the responsibility of the process to a large extent, and he carried out the discussions and preparations with dedication. Looking back today, the most valuable part of this work was not only reaching a new university, but also the fact that the people I started this journey with continued to carry the flag by taking responsibility. I would like to thank my colleague Umutcan, who is still working with the same effort in Kyrgyzstan, once again and send him my greetings.

Ramadan has a special place not only on our tables, but also in our culture and art. We wanted to keep this beautiful tradition alive in Kyrgyzstan and bring a little of the atmosphere of old Ramadan evenings to our campus. In our "Sahne-i Ramazan" program organized by the Turkic Youth Association, we introduced the traditional "Ters Evlenme" play and the meddah performance to approximately 300 viewers. Moreover, we prepared the Ramadan sherbet, which is rarely seen in Kyrgyzstan, with our own hands and served it to our guests at the end of the program. There were the voluntary efforts of many people behind the scenes. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to making this beautiful evening happen, especially my companion Azra Yüksel, who was the president of our Theater Club at that time. Looking back, I remember the friendship and solidarity behind the scenes with a smile, as much as the performances on stage.

Sometimes, a cup of coffee is enough to bring people together. During Ramadan, after iftar, we discussed the history of Turkish coffee and its place in our culture, and we experienced traditional brewing methods together at our Bi’Kahve workshop held at Oba Çay Bahçesi. This event, where we prepared our own coffees and chatted, received much more interest than we expected. This gathering, which was very popular among participants, once again showed us how valuable small but warm events can be alongside large organizations.

One of the nice projects where we had the opportunity to represent our country was the Turkey Promotion Days. Upon the invitation of the Central Asian American University, we participated in the Cultural Promotion Days as the Kyrgyzstan team of the Turkic Youth Council. While serving Turkish coffee and lokum to approximately 250 visitors at our country's booth, we also prepared a small photo exhibition reflecting the historical and tourist beauties of our country. The positive evaluations we received from the organizing committee and the fact that our booth was recognized as the best booth, made us especially happy. Being able to explain Turkey to people from different countries and personally introducing our culture was one of the most meaningful aspects of the volunteer work we carried out in Kyrgyzstan.

In our work in Kyrgyzstan, we did not limit ourselves to one-time events, but we also attached importance to developing sustainable projects. Taking our previous pronunciation and effective speaking training, which we initiated within TTEÖMER, a step further, we took the initiative to establish the Theater Club in cooperation with the Turkish World Youth Council, following our discussions with Mr. Ilyas Süt, the director of TTEÖMER. We prepared a program, which allows students who want to improve their Turkish to participate free of charge, based on regular theater training and stage activities. For us, the most valuable aspect of this project was our effort to transform the work we started into an institutional cooperation, creating a structure that could be continued after us.

In the second meeting of our series, Turkish World Youth Dialogues, which we have brought to our university, this time we welcomed a very special guest. We met with Eduard Kubatov, the first Kyrgyz mountain climber to reach the summit of Everest, holder of the Guinness World Records, and President of the Kyrgyzstan Mountaineering and Climbing Sports Federation. During the program held at Beşparmak Tent, which was attended by our university's rector and management, together with 210 participants, we discussed the difficulties of mountaineering, perseverance, and the path to success. Directly listening to the experiences of a person who has reached the highest peak in the world allowed us to look at our own goals and the long journey ahead with a different perspective. The continuation of our dialogue series with such valuable guests was one of the most beautiful rewards of this project, which we started together with our team.

We organized the Turan Knowledge Competition to test our knowledge about the Turkish world in a fun competitive environment and to create a different excitement on our campus. In the competition with 32 teams, we both learned and competed fiercely with questions about general knowledge, history and the Turkish world. The team names were as colorful as the competition itself. Jose Mourinho won first place, Ekmekte Protein Arayanlar took second place, and Çyryk team won third place. It seems that Mourinho kept the cup this time not on the football field but in the knowledge competition. With the voluntary contributions of our community members, we awarded the top three teams a total of 5,000 TL in cash prizes, cups and medals in the form of Kyrgyz Somu. It was one of our events that left beautiful memories, carried out with our own resources and team solidarity.

As the Representative Office of the Turkic Youth Council in Kyrgyzstan, we participated in the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan Youth Conference upon invitation. At the conference held by the Reformist Youth Public Union and the Kyrgyzstan Youth Parliament at the Kyrgyz National Library, we had the opportunity to address the relations between the two brother countries, cooperation opportunities in the fields of education and innovation, and the shared future of youth. We established new connections with representatives of different youth organizations for future joint work. As someone who believes that the solidarity among the youth of the Turkic world should not remain just words but turn into concrete cooperation, I remember this meeting as a valuable experience.

We launched our Turkish World Youth Dialogues program in order to bring together prominent individuals who have developed themselves in different fields and who stand out with their work. Our first guest was Tilek Mirlan (Tilimpoz), a well-known social media content creator from Kyrgyzstan. In the program, which also included our university administrators, we had a sincere and interactive conversation with 180 participants on the importance of language, culture, and youth work. This dialogue format, which has become an example for our university and other student communities over time, has become one of the works that I am proud to have contributed to the social and cultural life of our university together with my team.

In this important event bringing together young athletes from different countries of the Turkic world, we also took responsibility. Under the trust of the Rectorate of Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University towards our organization's organizational experience, we participated with 60 volunteer students as the Turkic World Youth Community. In the games organized under the umbrella of the Organization of Turkic States Universities Union, we supported the operation of the organization by providing field coordination, receiving and directing athletes coming from guest countries. Sharing the same excitement with young people from all corners of the Turkic world and being part of such an important organization was a valuable experience for us.

In our work in Kyrgyzstan, we did not forget our children. Together with volunteer youth, we shared the happiness of thousands of children at the Children's Festival we organized with the Turkic Youth Council and Bishkek Park. Under the direction of our esteemed teacher, Lecturer Erdoğan Eğmen; with our volunteer actor team including Azra Yüksel, Burak Zeren, Hilal Çetin, Akhyelik Serik, Umutcan Çelik, and me, we introduced our theater play Dostluk Gemisi completely in Kyrgyz Turkish to our little audience. With the selfless contributions of other volunteer members, we organized face painting, balloon workshops and various activities, and spent two days with our children. The fact that the effort we all gave turned into smiles on thousands of children's faces was the most valuable aspect of this project.

We made an effort to organize different events that bring young people together on our campus, believing that university life should not be limited to classrooms. With this idea, as the Turkic World Youth Association, we made history by organizing the first open-air cinema event in the history of Manas University, carried out by a student association. For two days, we transformed our campus into an open-air cinema with free film screenings. It was one of our works where young people spent time together, created beautiful memories, and added color to the social life of our university.

One of the projects we wished to leave a mark in Kyrgyzstan was the Friendship Ship project. With this project, prepared shoulder to shoulder by our Bishkek organization and our young people coming from Turkey, we reached more than 1,600 children living in villages in the Celalabad region, who had not had the opportunity to get to know theater before. Under the direction of our esteemed teacher, Lecturer Erdoğan Eğmen; with our volunteer actor team, which included Azra Yüksel, Burak Zeren, Hilal Çetin, Akhyelik Serik Umutcan Çelik and myself, we performed our theater play entirely in Kyrgyz Turkish. During three days, we not only presented a theater play, but also witnessed once again the unifying power of brotherhood and our common culture, by visiting village schools. Looking back today, I see the happiness on the children's faces and the voluntary effort of our youth as the most valuable gain of this project.

We launched the Roots Exhibition in order to bring our youth into contact with the historical personalities of the Turkic World and its shared cultural heritage. We organized a traveling exhibition at different points of the Cengiz Aytmatov Campus, making a precedent at our university. This work, which aimed for students to come across history and art within their daily lives, was one of our beautiful projects that went beyond the conventional understanding of exhibitions.

We organized a pronunciation course in collaboration with TTEÖMER and the Turkish World Theater Association, to contribute to young people in Turkmenistan in expressing themselves more correctly and effectively in Turkish. Under the voluntary instruction of our esteemed teacher, Assist. Prof. Erdoğan Eğmen, we had the opportunity to work on many topics, from rhetoric to body language, from emphasis and intonation to correct pronunciation. It was one of our works that left beautiful memories, as we discovered the beauties of our Turkish together.

During our activities in Kyrgyzstan, we were together not only with university students but also with our high school brothers. Within this scope, with the contributions of our volunteer instructors Mehmet Yıldırım and Perizat Aitmamatova, we established the Turkish Folk Dance Club at Bishkek Turkish Anatolia High School. We took a great step to keep our culture alive and pass on our folk dances to future generations. The fact that our efforts contributed to the establishment of this club, which still continues its activities today, is a special joy and pride for us.