Azaz Yunus Emre Institute organized the first certificate ceremony for its Turkish courses on January 26th, 2021. The students, who completed the course that started on September 17th, 2020, received their certificates. The theatre trainees performed the "Olive Tree" play during the ceremony.

240 Syrian teacher candidates have successfully completed their four months of Turkish education in Azaz, the host of the 60th center of Yunus Emre Institute (YEI) worldwide. The teacher trainees who have completed the first stage of the Turkish courses that were initiated at Yunus Emre Institute in the city of Azaz were presented their certificates at the ceremony. The teacher candidates who learned Turkish in the Institute will be employed as Turkish teachers in the schools of Syria.

The state officials, institute executives and families of the students from Ankara, Kilis, Azaz, Afrin, Çobanbey, Mare, Duvaybık and other cities of the region have participated in the program. Various gifts, alongside the certificates, were also presented to the students that successfully completed the course.

"SOME 300 TEACHERS HAVE LEARNED TURKISH"

In his statement, Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Education and Turcology Director Prof. Yavuz Kartallıoğlu reminded that the Azaz Yunus Emre Institute opened its doors on September 17th, 2020. Kartallıoğlu mentioned that the Turkish of the teachers were rather weak at the beginning and said, "We have provided a decent Turkish education with 30-hour classes every week for our teachers here since that day. Some 300 teachers have learned Turkish here." Kartallıoğlu stated that they will continue their educational activities in the region.  

The Director of Azaz Yunus Emre Institute, Fikret Çıtak mentioned that they formed a theatre group with the students and performed the play called "Olive Branch". Çıtak emphasized that they were also planning to contribute to the socialization of the students alongside the Turkish lessons. 

Yara Muhammet Tavil, one of the trainees, said that he was quite happy to complete the first stage of his Turkish education. 

ABOUT THE AZAZ YUNUS EMRE INSTITUTE

Azaz Yunus Emre Institute commenced its services on September 17th, 2020. Since that date, it started its Turkish education and culture-arts activities in the regions of Olive Branch, Euphrates Shield and Peace Spring, and particularly in Azaz. Azaz Yunus Emre Institute continues its operations in the building that is allocated by the Azaz Local Council. The building was completely renewed and equipped with state-of-the-art technologies for the Turkish education and cultural activities. The three-story building houses classrooms, activity classes, a conference hall, administrative offices and a library. In addition to the Turkish courses and culture-arts activities in Azaz, Turkish courses for teachers were also initiated in Duveybik, Çobanbey, Tell Abyad, Ras al-Ayn and Afrin. Courses aimed towards the academics and students were also initiated through the protocols signed with Aleppo University and Nahda University.

A LIBRARY FOR THE PEOPLE OF AZAZ

The Library of Turkey was established in Azaz to serve the entire community. The library collection currently contains some 1,000 books, and it is being expanded according to the needs and requests. Soon, intellectuals and opinion leaders from all fields of culture and arts from Turkey and the region will meet with the public through the "Library Talks" event.

WALL PAINTINGS

Predetermined walls in Azaz were painted in a sense that they would highlight messages such as "Peace in Azaz, and Peacefully Living with Each Other in Azaz", and wall paintings were placed on many different points in the city.

TURKISH MOVIE DAYS 

Yunus Emre Institute concentrated on culture and arts in Syria in order to erase the traces of war, and the Institute aims to contribute to the Turkish Education and introduce the Turkish culture, art and literature to the people of Azaz with the "Turkish Movie Days". Up until now, two film screenings were carried out in the Institute, and film screenings are planned to be made a regular activity.

TURKISH RADIO 

Inspired by the Voice of Turkish Radio experience, the Institute will realize a Turkish Radio project in order to create a new medium for Turkish education and to reach the people of the region through a new channel. A cooperation protocol was signed with the Azaz Safe Zone Radio for this purpose. The expert staff started their works in Azaz for the radio that will broadcast in Turkish and Arabic.

OLIVE TREE FELLOWSHIP THEATRE 

The Institute uses all the branches of culture and arts to revitalize the lives of the regional communities and to help them overcome the trauma of war, and the Institute founded an amateur theatre group in Azaz called the Olive Tree Fellowship Theatre. The trainees, entirely comprised of the local community, are participating in the theatrical education provided by the Institute staff. The group performed their first play during the Turkish courses certificate ceremony on January 26th.

"AZAZ: THE NAME OF THE HOPE" DOCUMENTARY

A documentary called "Azaz: The Name of the Hope" that is about the events in the region was shot. The documentary was streamed via the social media accounts of the Institute, and it discusses the harsh living conditions of those people who live in the region after the war and the steps that must be taken in order to overcome such challenges. The documentary, which was prepared in order to erase the traces of the war in Syria and to keep the love for humanity alive, included images from the Azaz Yunus Emre Institute and Vatan Hospital as well as images that represent the previous and current states of the city and interviews with the local community.