The training program commemorating the 30th anniversary of Bosnia and Herzegovina's independence, organized by Yunus Emre Institute (YEI) in collaboration with the Ankara Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been completed.

Yunus Emre Institute President Prof. Şeref Ateş, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Ankara Adis Alagiç, and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) President Şekib Avdagiç attended the closing of the “Intercultural Strategic Communication Applied Training Program,” which was held at Yunus Emre Institute's Istanbul Training Center between 19 February and 6 March 2022.

Yunus Emre Institute President Prof. Şeref Ateş, identifying Bosnia and Herzegovina as a major vein of Turkish culture, remarked after the presentation, "There is no Bosniak without a Turk, no Bosniak without a Turk."

Prof. Ateş stressed the necessity of bringing Bosnians all over the world together on a common platform to commemorate the 30^th anniversary of Bosnia and Herzegovina regaining its independence, and stated, "We believed that young individuals who understood strategic communication were most required. We held this practical training in Turkey for three weeks. The first week consisted of theoretical trainings. Bosnian youth devised plans for their local region in the second week, and participants began to generate material as a consequence of the tasks they got in the final week. This program trained 30 people, and we will do the same in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as train volunteer peace ambassadors."

On the other hand, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Ankara Ambassador Alagiç stated that Yunus Emre Institute has a very important mission to further strengthen peace in the Balkans, and that the power of non-governmental organizations, particularly in the diaspora, is very valuable for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"BOSNIAKS IN TURKEY ARE NOT BOSNIAK DIASPORA, BECAUSE WE ARE THE PRIMARY COMPONENT HERE."

ITO President Avdagic stated that “Bosniaks living in Turkey consider Turkey to be their motherland. We can say that all Bosnians living outside Bosnia and Herzegovina are diaspora, the only exception to this is Turkey. Bosniaks in Turkey do not constitute the Bosniak diaspora. Because we are the primary component here. As a result, no one should apply the idea of diaspora to Bosniaks living in Turkey.”

Closing program ended by after Prof. Deniz Ülke Arıboğan's speech titled "The Concept and Use of Power in International Relations: A Soft Power Perspective", and with the presentation of certificates to the students.

The trainings in the afternoon session were followed by speeches titled "The Unifying Effect of Culture and Art" by Görgün Taner, General Manager of Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), "Lobbying and Pressure Groups: Examples from Around the World" by Assoc. Prof. Burak Küntay, and "The Role of Women in the Foresight of a Stronger, Prosperous, and Peaceful Bosnia and Herzegovina" by Prof. Emel Topçu.  

Ergün Diler, Editor-in-Chief of Takvim Newspaper, also made a speech at the event.

The program's second phase, which concluded with workshops, is scheduled to be held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital.