Students who successfully completed the Bülbülzade Foundation Summer Schools received their certificates at a ceremony.The summer school program organized by the Bülbülzade Foundation to contribute to the personal development and education of children concluded with a joyful certificate ceremony. Throughout the summer, children who participated in various activities, learning while having fun, experienced the well-deserved pride of successfully completing the educational program together with their friends and teachers. The excitement and happiness of the students as they received their certificates of achievement from their instructors were truly remarkable.THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM IN THE REGIONThe 2026 Summer Schools organized by the Bülbülzade Foundation together with dozens of partner organizations were held simultaneously between June 29 and July 31. In addition to the Bülbülzade Foundation headquarters in Gaziantep, summer schools were organized at the Anatolian Cultural Centers in Azaz, Al-Bab, Afrin, Jarabulus, and Aleppo in Syria; the Anatolian Cultural Centers in Gaziantep; the Hayata Dokun Orphan Association; Semt-i İbrahimli; Bilim-Der; Fidan-Der; Katre Art and Science Center; İstikrar Sports Club; Middle East Media Communication Center; and in the earthquake-affected regions of Nurdağı and İslahiye.CHILDREN ENJOYED A FULL AND PRODUCTIVE SUMMERThe summer schools offered educational modules for children aged 7–14, including the Holy Qur'an, Basic Religious Knowledge, Drama, STEAM Workshop, Digital Literacy, and English Speaking Through Games. Through sports and artistic activities such as swimming, karate, taekwondo, bağlama, guitar, violin, robotics coding, and painting, children both had fun and engaged in sports. In addition to the program, outdoor activities such as horseback riding, Science Center visits, Agro Park, clay workshops, and picnics were also included. The children enjoyed a full and productive summer season.INVITATION TO THE CLOSING PROGRAMThe Summer Schools organized by the Bülbülzade Foundation will conclude this evening with the Closing Program to be held at Şehitkamil Cultural Center. Let us come together this evening at 7:00 p.m. at Şehitkamil Cultural Center to share the joy of our children, who are the guarantee of our future, and to be part of their great excitement.

The second and final parent meeting, organized as part of the summer schools held under the umbrella of the Foundation to strengthen cooperation between educators and families, was successfully completed with strong participation.At the Bülbülzade Foundation Summer Schools, which approach education and personal development through a holistic perspective, the second parent meeting planned to reinforce coordination between families and educators was held. Organized at the Foundation’s headquarters, this final gathering became a productive platform where the achievements of the children throughout the summer period were evaluated. Parents and educators discussed the students’ intellectual, social, and moral development processes in detail and shared ideas that would enhance the effectiveness of the educational process.A MEANINGFUL VISIT FROM THE PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL EDUCATION, ATMACADr. Önder Atmaca, Provincial Director of National Education of Gaziantep, also attended this final meeting and came together with parents and educators. During his visit, Atmaca had a warm conversation with the participants and received comprehensive information about the activities carried out within the summer schools. Exchanging ideas with the educators, Dr. Önder Atmaca emphasized the importance of such qualified programs that contribute to the multidimensional development of children. Parents attending the meeting also expressed their satisfaction with the Provincial Director of National Education’s interest in the program and highlighted the value of institutional support in their children's educational journey.INVITATION TO THE CLOSING CEREMONYThe Summer Schools organized by the Bülbülzade Foundation will conclude this evening with the Closing Ceremony to be held at Şehitkamil Cultural Center.Let us come together this evening at 7:00 p.m. at Şehitkamil Cultural Center to share in the joy of our children, who are the guarantee of our future, and to celebrate their great excitement.

Dr. Önder Arpacı, Director of the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education, and the accompanying delegation visited the summer schools organized by the Bülbülzade Foundation and met with the students. Following the visit, a consultation meeting focused on education was held with the foundation's administration.The delegation, consisting of Dr. Önder Arpacı, Director of the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education, Deputy Director of Provincial National Education Tacim Durmuş, and Şahinbey District Director of National Education Eyüp Güneş, paid a special visit to the Bülbülzade Foundation's summer school activities. The delegation showed close interest in the children attending the summer schools organized within the scope of the foundation's education- and youth-oriented activities, participated in the students' activities, and shared in their enthusiasm. During this meaningful visit, the education administrators had extensive conversations with the children and took commemorative photographs to mark the day.COOPERATION BETWEEN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND CIVIL SOCIETYFollowing the warm gathering with the students in the field, an institutional meeting focused on education was held. Dr. Önder Arpacı and the accompanying education administrators met with Bülbülzade Foundation President Turgay Aldemir for a comprehensive evaluation meeting. During the meeting, the reflections of cooperation between public institutions and civil society organizations in the field were evaluated, while ideas were exchanged on the overall functioning of the summer schools and new visionary projects that would contribute to the children's multidimensional development.INTER-INSTITUTIONAL DIALOGUEThe support provided by the Bülbülzade Foundation for the academic, cultural, and social lives of children was welcomed with satisfaction by the representatives of the education community. The visit and the productive meeting were recorded as a strong step taken toward strengthening the culture of acting together in the field of education and enhancing inter-institutional dialogue.

A delegation from the Union of International Democrats (UID) visited the Bülbülzade Foundation. During the meeting, youth initiatives focused on Europe and Türkiye, as well as potential joint projects, were discussed.The delegation, led by UID President General Kemal Hasan Aslan, paid an official working visit to the Bülbülzade Foundation campus. The program, which also included Rhein-Neckar Regional President Sevgi Gocuk, Azerbaijan Regional President Cengiz Aygör, and organization members, provided an opportunity for the exchange of institutional experience. Hosted by Bülbülzade Foundation President Turgay Aldemir, the meeting addressed the ongoing activities carried out by both sides.NEW CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVITIESThe main agenda of the meeting held during the visit focused on youth education and new civil society activities that could be implemented in Europe. The meeting, where areas of potential cooperation were discussed in detail, was attended by the Foundation’s Post-Disaster Coordination Unit, Migration Coordination Unit, Secondary Education Unit, Education and Teachers Unit, and the Middle East Media and Communication Center. Representatives of the units briefed the delegation on their field activities.CULTURAL AND MEDIA ACTIVITIESFollowing the meetings, the UID delegation toured the facilities located on the Bülbülzade Foundation campus and observed the ongoing cultural and media activities on site. The delegation visited areas including the Katre Art and Science Center, İstikrar Sports Club, and the Middle East Media and Communication Center, gaining insight into their operations and ongoing projects. The program concluded with mutual wishes to further strengthen cooperation.

During the second session of the workshop organized in collaboration between the Bülbülzade Foundation and the Anatolian Student Union, Dr. Ömer Faruk Kavuncu shared valuable advice with researchers.The second session of the "Research Writing and Techniques" training program, organized through the cooperation of the Anatolian Student Union and the Bülbülzade Foundation, was held on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. During the session, which took place in the Bülbülzade Foundation Conference Hall, Dr. Ömer Faruk Kavuncu shared the intricacies of research processes in the social sciences with the participants. Beginning his presentation with notes addressed to aspiring researchers, Kavuncu emphasized that the purpose of seeking knowledge is not knowledge itself but seeking the pleasure of Allah. Stating that a researcher's greatest asset is time, Kavuncu drew attention to the importance of learning to say no and managing time effectively. He also explained that a successful researcher should possess patience, curiosity, information literacy, and a strong command of the Turkish language.A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PROCESSDuring the training, the scientific research process was presented as a spiral. It was explained that the research spiral begins with curiosity and continues through recognizing a problem, reviewing the literature, determining the methodology, analyzing the data, and finally sharing the results, making it a multi-dimensional process. Participants were shown how to identify gaps in the literature when determining research topics.ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CANNOT REPLACE THE RESEARCHERThe session also provided a detailed explanation of the effective use of digital research platforms. The contributions of important resources such as DergiPark, the İSAM Library Database, the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, and the State Archives to academic research were emphasized. Referring to the use of artificial intelligence in scientific studies, Kavuncu stated that artificial intelligence cannot replace the researcher but should instead be regarded as a navigation tool that helps accelerate research. He noted that when used correctly, artificial intelligence offers alternative perspectives and reduces routine tasks.The program concluded with recommendations encouraging researchers to read the classical works in their respective fields, develop the habit of taking regular notes, and cultivate an interdisciplinary perspective.

A delegation from the Bülbülzade Foundation met with volunteer university students at the Aleppo Anatolian Cultural Center to discuss Syria’s reconstruction and digitalization vision.Representatives of the Bülbülzade Foundation Migration Coordination Unit and the Syrian Community paid a meaningful visit to the Aleppo Anatolian Cultural Center. During the visit, which also included young people actively contributing to migration and youth initiatives, a comprehensive consultation meeting was held with volunteer students from the University of Aleppo and team leaders. The meeting focused on potential areas of cooperation for Syria’s future and the expectations of young people.LET US INTEGRATE INTO THE DIGITAL ERASpeaking during the meeting, the Syrian youth emphasized that they wanted to overcome the intellectual fatigue caused by fourteen years of war. Expressing their desire to open a new chapter together with the Bülbülzade Foundation, the participants highlighted the need to integrate into the digital age instead of relying on outdated educational methods and curricula. They stated that the return of Syrians who had gained experience in Türkiye would have a positive impact on the country’s reconstruction and affirmed their readiness to work for Syria through mutual cooperation. The participants also stressed the critical role of joint meetings and the sharing of experience in the process of rebuilding human capital in Syria.WE ARE PRIORITIZING SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTMustafa Hussein, President of the Bülbülzade Foundation Syrian Community, who attended the meeting, emphasized the importance of acting together, stating that the coming period would be a time for working shoulder to shoulder for Syria. The Bülbülzade Foundation Migration Coordination Unit also reminded participants that the Foundation has continued its activities in the region uninterruptedly for fourteen years. It was noted that while the Foundation initially focused on meeting basic humanitarian needs, it has now shifted its emphasis entirely toward education and projects aimed at social development.