The “I Get to Know Turkey” Project realized by the cooperation of the Yunus Emre Institute and the Turkish Red Crescent Organization’s Ankara Branch, Child Protection Center has been finalized by the Ankara visit which was after the visits of Istanbul, Bursa and Nevsehir.

The closing program of the activity, which has the purposes of providing social harmony between the Turkish children and foreign children, allowing them to practice their Turkish skills, and promoting our culture on-site through the historical and touristic places of the visited cities, has taken place through the participation of the Chairman of the Institute, Prof. Seref Ates and the Vice General Manager of the Turkish Red Crescent Organization, Dr. Naci Yorulmaz.

The Chairman of the Institute, Prof. Ates has indicated that one of the most interesting projects among the ones that the Yunus Emre Institute and the Turkish Red Crescent Organization realized together was the “I Get to Know Turkey” Project, and also expressed that the children, who came from different countries like Syria and Iraq and have been living in Turkey, realized this project with the Turkish children.

Ateş, who expressed that people with different beliefs and cultures have lived in this geography throughout the history, emphasized that the youth who visited the cities of Turkey and saw the production  and scientific capacity of Turkey on-site within the scope of the project would contribute to Turkey’s development and living in peace and harmony: “This project will convey the coexistence culture to the upcoming generations and by this means, you will set an example for your friends in the cities where you live.”

The Vice General Manager of the Turkish Red Crescent Organization, Dr. Naci Yorulmaz stated that they had carried out the most meaningful project which was realized through the cooperation with the Yunus Emre Institute, and gave advices to the youth whom he called “the promise of the future.”

Dr. Yorulmaz, who indicated that the cooperation provided by this project would lead to greater cooperation, and said: “This world is not much greater than your dreams. Don’t be afraid of dreaming. Don’t underestimate yourselves. You are going to take up the problems of the modern world in which we live, you are going to solve the problems. While solving these problems, please have one key concept in your hands: compassion. This world which seems scary and gigantic, is not bigger than the potential that you have and your inner forces. We are ready to mobilize all kinds of means to meet all kinds of needs as the Turkish Red Crescent Organization, Yunus Emre Institute and Turkish State. Together, we are going to build a world where everyone lives peacefully.”

Emirhan, who is one of the young participants sharing his experiences and feelings that he has encountered during the project, has expressed that it was very valuable for him to closely see the structures shedding light to the history and to explore different cultures, and Muaz who participated into the project from Konya said: “I thank you to give me the opportunity to see this many of beautiful places at once. It was always my dream to come to Turkey, so my dream has come true.”

In the program where approximately 100 teens have participated from 9 different cities of turkey between the ages of 14 and 18, the exhibition area was visited where the teens’ historical and cultural trip photos were displayed. The teens who penned down the friendships that they established and the memories that they collected throughout the trip which started on 1 July 2018 did not forget to have a souvenir photo taken.