ANKARA, 4
March 2016: To mark ‘100 Years of Urdu in Turkey’ the Embassy of Pakistan in
collaboration with Urdu Department of Ankara University organized a literary
event. Urdu Scholars and researchers presented papers highlighting the evolution
of Urdu studies at various Turkish Universities over the past 100 years and illuminated
the services of Turkish and Pakistani academicians
and scholars for this cause. Member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and
Chairman Turkey-Pakistan Cultural Association, Mr. Burhan Kayaturk, was the guest
of honour.
Speaking
on the occasion, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkey Sohail Mahmood paid rich
tributes to Prof. Dr. Ahmed Bakhtiar Ashraf, Visiting Professor at Urdu
Department of Ankara University, and later presented to him the ‘Life-Time Achievement Award’ for his invaluable
services for promotion of Urdu in Turkey. Ambassador Sohail said the Urdu
Departments in Istanbul, Ankara and Selcuk University (Konya) were playing a
central role in the advancement of Urdu in Turkey. He underlined that education,
cultural cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges ranked among the highest
priorities of both the Pakistani and Turkish Government.
Referring
to recent initiatives for promoting bilateral cultural collaboration,
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood mentioned the commemorative postage stamp issued by
the Government of Pakistan in connection with ‘100 Years of Urdu in Turkey.’ He
added that through the support of National Book Foundation (NBF) and Jumhoori
Publications, important books and reference materials were provided to the Urdu
Departments of Istanbul, Ankara and Selcuk University, Konya. “Our future
endeavours are focused on intensified collaboration between Turkish and
Pakistani Universities, placement of Urdu and Pakistan Studies scholars on
relevant Chairs, exchange of students and faculty, promotion of mutual
cooperation between research institutions, and more translations of each
other’s popular works,” he added.
Prof. Dr.
Ahmed Bakhtiar Ashraf, in his keynote address, presented an overview of
evolution of Urdu in Turkey over the past century. He said Prof. Khairi had
initiated formal teaching of Urdu in Turkey at Darul-Funoon, Istanbul
University. Later on, with the emergence of Pakistan, dedicated chairs were
established at Istanbul and Ankara Universities, which imparted a further
impetus to the teaching of Urdu language and literature and Pakistan Studies.
He presented details about faculty and scholars of Urdu Departments of Ankara,
Istanbul and Selcuk Universities and appreciated their literary contributions.
It may be mentioned that Prof. Dr. Ashraf himself has supervised eight PhD scholars.
Vice
Rector of Ankara University, Prof. Dr. Sibel Ayşıl ÖZKAN, in her remarks said
Pakistan and Turkey shared strong bonds of brotherhood, which were deep rooted
in history, religion and culture. Noting that the Urdu Department was one of
the important departments of Ankara University, she assured every possible
support of the University Administration
for further strengthening of Urdu studies.
Prof. Dr.
Kelim Erkan Türkmen from Karatay University, Konya, in his paper, highlighted
the essence of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi in the poetry and philosophy of
Pakistan’s national poet Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal. He noted that while many
poets in the Sub-Continent were influenced by Rumi’s thought, it was the most dominant
in Iqbal’s works. “Iqbal follows Rumi step by step,” he added.
Earlier,
Prof. Dr. Asuman Belen Ozcan, Chairperson of Urdu Department of Ankara
University and overall co-organizer of the event, welcomed the participants.
She expressed the desire to work closely with other Pakistani Universities for
exchange of faculty and students. Prof. Dr. Anwaar Ahmad, Chairman of
Department of Urdu, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, addressed the
participants through video link.
Assistant
Prof. Dr. Hakan Kuyumcu and Assistant Prof. Dr. Recep Durgun of Selcuk
University Konya, Ms. Hatice GÖRGÜN of Istanbul University, and Aykut Kişmir of
Ankara University presented papers on the history of Urdu studies at their
respective Universities.
In his remarks
on the occasion, MP Mr. Burhan Kayaturk lauded the services of Pakistani and
Turkish scholars who had contributed to the promotion of Urdu in Turkey. Noting
that Urdu was among the major spoken languages of the world, he related his own
experiences and said that the knowledge of Urdu facilitated communication in
many parts of the globe. Mr. Kayaturk, who studied in Pakistan for several
years and is proficient in Urdu, assured all out support for the further
promotion of Urdu language and literature in Turkey.
President
of Turkish Language Authority, members of diplomatic missions, representatives
of Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yunus Emre Institute, Turkish
Historical Society, Pakistan community, media, Urdu scholars from Istanbul
University, Selcuk University (Konya) and faculty and students of Urdu
Department of Ankara University attended the event.
More photos from the link https://goo.gl/KyMaV5
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