YTB President Abdulhadi Turus conveyed Türkiye's vision of a "geography of hearts" in his speech delivered as part of the 20th Anadolu Meetings.
Taking the stage at the 20th Anadolu Meetings, organized under the theme "The Türkiye Century and Civil Diplomacy," President of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) Abdulhadi Turus delivered a presentation titled "Diaspora Networks and Cultural Diplomacy." Stating that YTB works in three main areas: citizens abroad, kinsmen and related communities, and international students, Turus said that they define their areas of responsibility not within the framework of conventional geographical boundaries, but with the concept of a "geography of hearts." Turus summarized this unique vision with the following words: "We describe our area of responsibility with a concept that no other country in the world is blessed with, a 'geography of hearts.' There is no other country that defines its map with the heart."
THE TURKISH DIASPORA DOES NOT FEED ON VICTIMHOOD
Pointing out that the Turkish diaspora living in Europe has undergone a major transformation since the labor migration of the 1960s, Turus made striking observations about the character of the Turkish diaspora. He expressed the aspects that distinguish this community from others with the following words: "Our diaspora does not feed on victimhood. The Armenian diaspora is built upon a victimhood arising from its unfounded claims, while the Jewish diaspora is shaped by the understanding of a people expelled from their homeland. Ours, however, is entirely a worker diaspora." Turus stated that they carry out special projects such as internships in the defense industry in order to protect young people against assimilation and strengthen their ties with Türkiye.
WE INSTILL ANATOLIAN WISDOM IN YOUNG PEOPLE
In his speech, Turus also devoted considerable attention to international students studying in Türkiye, stating that approximately five thousand students are brought to Türkiye each year and that they aim to instill in them Anatolian wisdom beyond mere academic education. Citing the strategic gains that international students who study on YTB scholarships and return to their countries to assume senior positions in state institutions provide to Türkiye, Turus gave the example of a Somali student and said: "One of our graduates who completed his education in Türkiye and returned to his country, taking on senior positions such as Minister of Defense and Minister of Ports, contributed to the opening of our largest military base in Africa and to Türkiye being entrusted with the operation of its largest commercial port. He even told me, 'I dream in Turkish.' This is what we achieve with tens of thousands of graduates every year."
Turus concluded his remarks by drawing attention to the key role of civil society organizations in Türkiye's foreign policy.
