The closing event of the Turkish Communication Program (KATIP) for Public Officials and Academics, organized by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), was held in Ankara on Thursday.
The closing event was attended by Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University Vice-Rector professor Metin Orbay, YTB Vice-President Murat Kazancı, scholarship recipients and educators.
The event, organized in the capital from November 2023 to June 2024 for 17 academics and public officials from 16 countries, began with a screening of an introductory film.
In his speech, Orbay expressed honor in being a partner of the program, highlighting that the scholarship recipients will represent Türkiye in their home countries.
Orbay emphasized that the scholarship recipients had the opportunity to closely understand Türkiye's history, culture and people, and congratulated the students.
YTB Vice-President Kazancı also highlighted that the scholarship recipients had been learning Turkish for eight months and visited various institutions, describing the program as the beginning of the relationship between Türkiye and the scholarship recipients.
Kazancı underscored their collaboration with Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University within the scope of the program and thanked the teachers for their efforts.
He noted that the scholarship recipients visited institutions working in the field of foreign policy, establishing contacts between local and foreign institutions.
Kazancı expressed the expectation that the participants maintain strong ties with YTB and hoped they would have strong connections with Türkiye's overseas representations, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) and the Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMV).
Kazancı highlighted the importance of the scholarship recipients developing projects to strengthen relations between Türkiye and their countries, stating that YTB is open to cooperation on projects and congratulating the participants.
After the closing speeches, the scholarship recipients shared the achievements they gained from the program and their feelings and thoughts about their time in Türkiye.
The closing event concluded with the distribution of certificates to the scholarship recipients and the taking of a group photo.
As part of the KATIP 2023-2024 term, a total of 17 participants from 16 different countries, including six diplomats, six public officials, two researchers, a rector, a journalist and a police inspector, received Turkish language education for eight months at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University.
The participants, who started the Turkish courses at the A1 level, completed 800 hours of language education and obtained a B2-level Turkish language certificate.
Participants from Poland, Palestine, Mongolia, Kenya and various other countries not only received language education but also participated in institutional visits, cultural tours, academic seminars and social activities during their stay in Türkiye.