Yunus Emre Institute has initiated its operations at Trinity College Dublin, one of the top 100 influential universities in the world.  

Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Dublin Levent Murat Burhan, Trinity College Near and Middle East Studies Department Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zuleika Rodgers, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies Department Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jürgen Uhlich, Yunus Emre Institute London Branch Director Mehmet Karakuş and many academics along with students who study in this field attended the opening ceremony which lasted for two days with assorted activities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Trinity College Near and Middle East Studies Department Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zuleika Rodgers expressed her content for the finalization of the protocol after lengthy talks and she said that she was equally enthusiastic about the work to be conducted.

Yunus Emre Institute London Branch Director Mehmet Karakuş pointed out that the Yunus Emre Institute chair, set up at Dublin, would serve to develop close ties between Turkey and Ireland and undertake a number of activities mainly in the area of Turkish language teaching, culture and arts.

The Irish enchanted by Turkish music

The musical ensemble "Istanbul Soloists" performed during the opening ceremony at Trinity College Dublin. The ensemble, consisting of Derya Türkan, Dilek Türkan, Atilla Akıntürk, Murat Salim Tokaç and Fahrettin Yarkın, helped Irish music lovers get a taste of the Turkish music. The valuable songs, also from certain Ottoman sultans, they performed captivated the audience.

A conference on Turkey at Trinity

The first meeting of the Turkey conference, which will be held annually in compliance with the protocol signed between Yunus Emre Institute and Trinity College Dublin, was made on November 6 with the attendance of Prof. Dr. Metin Kunt, a retired faculty member of the University of Cambridge, as a speaker. Introducing Prof. Dr. Kunt, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies Department Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jürgen Uhlich talked about the precious work by Kunt.

In his speech on the Ottoman culture of books and writing, Prof. Dr. Kunt described how the writing and printing was introduced to the Ottoman Empire, the opening of the first printing house, the work by İbrahim Müteferrika and the writing and printing of the Holy Qur'an during the Ottoman period. The conference garnered great interest from academics and students.

The events conducted throughout the program marked the official beginning of the activities of Yunus Emre Institute Chair, set up at Trinity College Dublin, one of the top 100 influential universities in the world.

The Chair will actively perform Turkish language and cultural history, activities, cultural and artistic events and teach Turkish with a view to bringing two nations closer.