Pec Yunus Emre Institute opened a Turkish course in Sushica, the home town of Mehmet Âkif Ersoy's father.

At the inauguration of the course to be run by Deputy Dean of Faculty of Philology in University of Pristina and Professor of Turcology Nuran Malta Muhaxheri, Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Director of Strategy Development Assoc. Dr. Şaban Köktürk, Deputy Mayor of Istog Lulzim Blakaj, Istog Education and Culture Director Agim Haxhiu, Pec Education Director Besim Avdimetaj, Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Director Mehmet Ülker, Mehmet Akif Ersoy Primary School Principal Besnik Nimonaj and the teachers were present.

The first course in Mehmet Akif Ersoy Primary School in which Turkish course was opened, was held on November 17, 2016. Speaking at the opening, Istog Deputy Mayor Lulzim Blakaj expressed satisfaction with Turkey's support and cooperation, and that they maintain positive relations with Turkey in various areas. School Principal Besnik Nimonaj stated that the students take interest in Turkish language and that cultural convergence will be even stronger after this course in the school.

Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Director Dr. Mehmet Ülker expressed his emotions and the pride he takes in teaching Turkish in this village where relatives of Turkish national poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy live, by support of the Yunus Emre Enstitüsü. Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Strategy Development Manager Assist. Assoc. Dr. Şaban Köktürk said that he saw hope, determination and success in the eyes of every student in the course, believe that they will learn Turkish in a very short time and that he hopes they will study in Turkish universities in the future.

Tahir Efendi, father of Mehmet Akif who played a key role in the establishment of Republic of Turkey, and whose works and anthem written in the years of War of Independence gave strength to the army, was sent to Istanbul to become a imam in the mosque in Sushica Village. However Tahir Efendi decided to stay in Istanbul, got married here and his children including Akif were born in Istanbul. Turkey provides support to Sushica at every chance to claim the precious memory of our national poet. In this context, the ruined mosque has been restored to its original state by TİKA and the mosque was personally opened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan through teleconference.