The “Culture Meeting” held at Near East University brought together students, artists, and academics from different regions of the Turkic world under one roof. The event, enriched with musical performances, folk dances, cultural delicacies, and discussions, emphasized the preservation of shared cultural heritage and the strengthening of intercultural ties.

Organized by Near East University, which ranks among the top 500 universities in the world, the “Culture Meeting” created a vibrant and multicultural atmosphere on campus. The event, a collaboration between the Near East University Office of Students’ Dean, the Turkish Literature Club, the Music Club, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the History Department, the Turkish Language Teaching Department, and the Turkish Preparatory School, offered participants a rich experience by bringing together different cultures in a campus setting.

The opening speeches of the event were given by the Rector of Near East University, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, and the Chair of Office of Students’ Dean, Prof. Dr. Dudu Özkum Yavuz, former Member of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Dosmuhamet Nur-Ahmet, President of the Association for Mutual Aid and Solidarity of Citizens of Turkic States Firyuza Narkabulova, Vice President of the Uyghur Turkic Congress Jamilya Nurbekova, and Prof. Dr. Burak Gökbulut, one of the chairpersons of the organizing committee.

At the end of the event, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yeniasır, and Prof. Dr. Burak Gökbulut presented plaques to all speakers and guests. Following this, the book “Comparative Turkic Folk Tales from East Turkestan to Cyprus”, published by Prof. Dr. Burak Gökbulut and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yeniasır, was also gifted to the guests.

Received High Marks from Participants!

The event included various programs under the headings of music, food, and discussions. In the “Music: Meet the Rhythm of Different Cultures” session, melodies from various geographies were performed, offering participants a cultural journey through music. In the event titled “Food: Discover Flavors from Around the World”, examples from world cuisine were presented to the participants. Under the title “Conversation: Exchange Ideas with Inspiring Talks”, fruitful discussions took place on culture, communication, and academic interaction. The event also included literary presentations, live music performances, folk dance shows, cultural food tastings, and presentations on Turkic world culture. Rita Tulegenova performed a musical recital in Kazakh Turkish, while Merdan Yagmurov, Selbi Muhissinowa, and Şöret Bayramgeldiyev performed musical recitals in Turkmen and Azerbaijani Turkish. Aysun Dönmez showcased Cypriot folk culture with Cypriot folk dances, while Mani recitations and Turkmen folk dances also received great interest from the audience. Furthermore, musical performances by Near East University students Ezgi Demirel and Tülaynur Koyun added color to the event and were followed with interest by the participants.

The co-chair of the organizing committee was Prof. Dr. Burak Gökbulut emphasized that Near East University operates with the vision of being an important center in the TRNC that strengthens academic, cultural, and humanitarian ties, saying, “Near East University is an important meeting point that contributes to the establishment of strong ties between different geographies of the Turkic world.”

“The bridge of hearts built here is extremely valuable!”

Speaking at the event, Dosmuhamet Nur-Ahmet, former Member of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, stated that a meaningful environment has been created at Near East University that brings together different geographies of the Turkic world, adding, “The bridge of hearts built here is extremely valuable.” Firyuza Narkabulova, President of the Association for Mutual Aid and Solidarity of Citizens of Turkic States, and Jamilya Nurbekova, Vice President of the Uyghur Turkic Congress, emphasized that the event brought together students from different countries under one roof, stating that such organizations strengthen cultural solidarity and fraternal ties.

Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “The Near East University campus is one of the most important centers of Turkic world culture and art.”

Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, in his speech, emphasized that their campus is a cultural, artistic, and intellectual meeting point for the Turkic world. “Today, I am experiencing the profound excitement of coming together around the common language, common culture and art, and common heart of the Turkic world in the inclusive campus of Near East University”, said Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ, adding that the university carries the voice and spirit of a vast geography stretching from Turkey to Cyprus, from Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan, from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan, from Uzbekistan to East Turkestan.

Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ stated that the Near East University campus has become one of the important centers of Turkish world culture and art today, and that the Cyprus Modern Art Museum houses approximately 100,000 works of art by over 3,000 artists from all over the Turkic world. He emphasized that these works are not merely works of art, saying, “Each one is a living document bearing witness to the deep history, sorrows, joys, and dreams of the Turkish world.”

Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ also stated that the organized Cultural Festival is a living part of this memory, and that the program, ranging from literary presentations to live music performances, folk dances, and cultural food tastings, reflects the deep-rooted and living civilization of the Turkic world. Concluding his speech, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ thanked all stakeholders, artists, and guests who contributed to the event, saying, “Culture and art are the light of the future. We will continue to strengthen this light together.”