A program for foreign students to promote global citizenship

Thanks to contributions from the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), Youth Without Frontiers (STG) will commence a special education program for foreign students titled the "International Youth Academic Development Project." The 16-week program will cover seminars, social awareness projects, language courses, cultural events and presentations by invited lecturers, diplomats and experts. The project will focus on the Balkans, the Middle East, Latin America, Central Asia and Russia, South Asia and the Far East. All participants will receive a certificate, and successful attendees will have the chance to join international activities abroad afterward.

Aiming to raise students' awareness of international subjects, the project will enhance their knowledge of different societies and nations, while introducing a critical and analytical perspective on global developments. The participants will also learn about Turkey's relations with countries from the abovementioned regions. The project's inaugural meeting took place on Sunday in Ankara.

Speaking during the meeting titled "Dünyayı Keşfe Çıkıyoruz" (We are Discovering the World), which is a sub-category of the education program, YTB President Kudret Bülbül said they will bring qualified and successful students from different countries to Turkey. "Each foreign student in Turkey is very special and precious to us. We entrust them to our NGOs [nongovernmental organizations]," Bülbül said, adding that students go to great lengths to come to Turkey, and the programs held by certain NGOs that a focus on international students are useful for them.

Bülbül said globalization brings a new phase of pluralization and difference in the world with increasing knowledge. "The Internet and communication tools are technological opportunities that enable us to fight [battles] better. However, we use them for beneficial purposes as well. Europe has produced many valuable things for humanity, yet it has caused conflicts and problems, too," Bülbül continued. He said the YTB does not only work for foreign students, but is also interested in studies of cognates and related communities.

Mehmet Aldanmaz, the Founding President of the STG, said they established the institution to remove borders around the world. "We began our journey with 260 students and later received almost 1,400 applications. We are proud of this. Many students come to Turkey to study and to learn more about the country. They come here in order to tell other people about our country's beauties," he said. Aldanmaz added that there is a lot that Turkey can learn from these students. "I hope our culture and values will contribute to their knowledge and we can effectively promote our country abroad."

Orhan Argun, an STG board member, said they have reached more than 69,000 people through social media and informed them about the institution's online registration process. Metin Çelik, the project's academic supervisor, said the project aims to raise international awareness. During his presentation, Çelik said the students will learn about Turkey's international power and enjoy meeting other international students. He said that along with different social and cultural activities, there will be Turkish, English, French and Arabic language classes where students will talk about current issues in Africa, the Balkans, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the Far East and South Asia.

Following the opening speeches at the meeting, Birol Akgün, President of the Institute of Strategic Thinking (SDE), discussed the impact of new communication technologies on international politics. Akgün said the world is in the middle of a crisis and needs new visions and powerful leaders.

Gazi University's Fırat Purtaş, who is the Vice Secretary General of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY), said that the program is a global project focused on cultural diplomacy, and underscored its significance in terms of cultural interaction. Necati Kutlu, the Head of the Latin American Studies Research and Application Center (LAMER), emphasized the role of students in international integration.

During the program, each region will be discussed, focusing on its history, geography, culture, people and society, international relationships and regional issues. Training will be given by academics, specialists and experts from NGOs such as YTB, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), TÜRKSOY and the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture. However, the project is not only limited to training. As part of the project, cultural field trips to Ankara, İzmir and Istanbul will also take place. Apart from these, football matches and various sporting activities, institutional visits, breakfast events, home visits, events to help poor families and many other activities will be organized. The STG was founded in 2013 in order to enable its volunteers to acquire a global vision, international experience and to have the necessary skills required for this day and age. The aim of the association is to build international relationships that go beyond the political and physical borders, to initiate projects that embrace 8 billion people and establish strong bonds with international students in Turkey. Applications forms can be found on its official website: www.youthwf.org.