5 million people expected to attend 11th Int’l Turkish Olympiads

Nearly 3 million people attended the Cultural Festival held on May 24-26 in the Aegean city of İzmir. (Photo: Today's Zaman, Mehmet Yaman)
Nearly 3 million people attended the Cultural Festival held on May 24-26 in the Aegean city of İzmir. (Photo: Today's Zaman, Mehmet Yaman)


Date posted: May 30, 2013

İSA YAZAR

Five million people are expected to watch the wide range of shows to be performed in 55 Turkish cities as part of the 11th International Turkish Olympiads, a festival that celebrates the Turkish language and is this year brings together 2,000 students from 140 countries.

The 11th International Turkish Olympiads, which is organized by the International Turkish Education Association (TÜRKÇEDER) each year as part of the International Language and Culture Festival, will be held between June 1 and 16. A total of 99 activities are planned to be held in 55 cities of Turkey during this 16-day period.

Most of the activities will be held at the stadium in the cities, says Turkish Olympiads media coordinator Halit Soylu, who spoke to Today’s Zaman, stressing there is generally a stampede each year for tickets in each city with locals showing great interest in the performances of the international students who come to Turkey as part of the Turkish Olympiads. Soylu stated they expect 5 million people to watch the performances.

Soylu noted that the Turkish Olympiads have become one of the most leading cultural events across the world.

The inauguration ceremony of the 11th International Turkish Olympiads will be held on June 1 in Ankara’s May 19 Stadium.

Speaking to Today’s Zaman, Turkish Olympiads Ankara Media Coordinator İlhan Yerli said the Olympiads this year are being held as part of the International Language and Culture Festival. Stating that 1st International Turkish Olympiads was held 11 years ago with the attendance of just 17 countries, Yerli said that a total of 135 countries attended the Olympiads last year and this number has increased to 140 countries this year. “Five new countries attended this year’s Olympiads: the Dominican Republic, Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Brunei Sultanate and Rwanda. Approximately 2,000 students will compete in the Olympiads. These students, whose languages, religions and skin color are different from one another, will compete in 19 categories such as singing, poetry reading and Turkish folk dances.” Yerli noted.

This year’s Cultural Festival was held between May 24 and 26 at the İzmir Fair Center in the western Aegean city of İzmir. Nearly 3 million people attended the festival that was held under the slogan of “Towards Universal Peace.” The three-day event was held at İzmir’s Kültürpark. Children from 140 countries displayed cultural items from their countries and talked about their countries and traditions in Turkish with visitors, most of whom were surprised by the students’ Turkish abilities. In addition, many other activities were held at the Kültürpark, such as concerts and theater performances. Visitors enjoyed seeing different kinds of traditional dress and musical instruments, tasting traditional meals and having their photos taken with the foreign students.

Yerli stated the slogan of this year’s Olympiads was determined by the votes of people through the social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook. He stated that the slogan “Toward Universal Peace,” received a total of 4,739 votes from people. Among the slogans used in the previous Olympiads are “The Language of Love: Turkish,” “We Are Talking the Same Language,” “Come, Let Us All Be Friends” and “Humanity Hand in Hand.”

Source: Today’s Zaman, 29 May, 2013


Related News

Van NGOs: Calling Hizmet movement ‘virus’ and ‘hashhashin’ unnaceptable

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) active in the eastern province of Van said in a press conference that the tension experienced in Turkey recently has ruined the country and that any remarks or behavior against the Hizmet movement will not be tolerated.

Dismissed policeman detained while applying to post-coup rights commission

I.K., a former deputy police chief in Gaziantep’s Sehitkamil district who was dismissed in the government’s post-coup crackdown, was detained when he visited a local State of Emergency (OHAL) commission in Sivas to reclaim his rights.

Erdoğan escalates elimination of Gülenists from state [ with no proof of accusations]

Since the Dec. 17 graft probe, hundreds of prosecutors and judges and around 2,500 police officers who the government believes to be close to Gülen have been removed from their posts, and it seems that it is not going to stop there.

Reporters Without Borders urges Turkey to rescind draconian state of emergency decrees

Two months after responding to a coup attempt by declaring a state of emergency, the Turkish government continues to target journalists, pluralism and freedom of information. RSF is today publishing a reportthat details the many abuses and urges the government to return to democratic principles.

PM Erdoğan increases intensity of hate speech against Hizmet movement

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has increased the intensity of his hate speech against the Hizmet movement, which is inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, calling on people not to attend the movement’s schools or exam preparatory courses and not to buy newspapers close to the movement.

Turkish Olympiad finals held all around the globe in prestigious venues in a variety of cities

Though we typically only witness the Turkey leg of the Turkish Olympiad, held as a part of the International Turkish Education Association’s (TÜRKÇEDER) Language and Culture Festival, the fact is that excitement over this event similarly takes place in participating countries every year as well.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

CCBT Teaches Turkish in Public School in Rio de Janeiro

Human Rights Watch Director: This is a political purge… pure and simple!

Mozambican minister: I will mention success of Turkish schools on every occasion

Canadian institute honors Kimse Yok Mu

Turkish charity dedicates well in Africa to brutally killed Özgecan Aslan

Turkish businesswomen hold panel at the UN on female empowerment

How to Fix Turkey’s Fall From International Favor

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News