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The Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) held its “One World Literature Awards” ceremony on Sunday in the northwestern province of Bursa, gathering 105 young writers from 37 countries to celebrate Turkish literature and language.
The event took place at the Bayezid Pasha Madrasa Culture and Art Center, attracting young authors living abroad, international students and literature enthusiasts.
Speaking to reporters before the ceremony, YTB President Abdülhadi Turus said the program aims to blend Bursa’s deep cultural heritage with global literary creativity. “By benefiting from Bursa’s cultural richness and connecting to the world of literature, we brought together 105 young writers from 37 countries,” Turus said.
He also announced that the 4th International Young Writers Meeting will be held in Bursa from Oct. 24 to 30, noting that this year has special significance as it marks the 700th anniversary of the conquest of Bursa.
“On this occasion, I would like to thank our governor’s office, Yıldırım Municipality and Uludağ University. We will continue holding our international programs in Bursa’s historic venues,” he said. “As YTB, we will keep supporting international young writers who come together through Turkish and continue to cultivate global voices in our language.”
Among the award winners was Bennu Pacolari, a 19-year-old writer from Kosovo, who received first place in the short story category. Pacolari said she was proud to be in Türkiye and to express herself in Turkish. “Speaking Turkish and being in Türkiye is such a wonderful experience,” she said.
Another recipient, Aidana Myrzabay, a 28-year-old doctoral student from Kazakhstan studying Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language at Hacettepe University in Ankara, said YTB’s programs have been instrumental in shaping her academic and literary path.
“YTB not only provides educational opportunities but also guides and supports young people in their writing journeys,” Myrzabay said. “This year, I received an award in the short story category among international students. I’m very happy and grateful to YTB for supporting me in every step of my writing journey. Since my field is Turkish language teaching, I aim to teach Turkish to learners in Kazakhstan, improve myself and contribute to my country.”
In his address at the ceremony, Turus said he was delighted to be in Bursa’s historic atmosphere, emphasizing the central place of Turkish and literature in YTB’s mission.
“As YTB, we place the greatest value on the Turkish language and literature,” he said. “Because we know that Turkish is not just a means of communication, but a language of belonging, spirit and civilization. Our history, thought, faith, culture and conscience come to life in the words of this language.”
Turus described the Turkish diaspora, sister communities and international students as the carriers of this civilizational language across different geographies. “For us, they are not only target audiences but also living channels that transmit the Turkish language and our shared culture. Our goal is to strengthen their connection with Türkiye and Turkish in every field, thus making Turkish a dynamic and influential language in the global world of culture, art and thought,” he said.
He also pointed to YTB’s literary publications, “Telve,” “Bağlar” and “Her Boydan,” as visible examples of the institution’s cultural and intellectual outreach. “These magazines are among our most tangible and fruitful achievements,” Turus said.
Explaining the purpose of the “One World Literature Awards,” Turus said the competition was created to discover and support talented young writers from the Turkish diaspora, related communities and international students who wish to contribute to Turkish literature. He noted that the competition features four categories: Best Work, Essay, Short Story and Poetry.
Congratulating the winners, Turus said the program serves as a “common table of hearts” uniting young people around the Turkish language. “This competition represents a shared literary platform where young people from all around the world who think, dream and write in Turkish meet,” he said. “Although they come from different geographies, I thank each of them for finding a shared spirit in the voice of Turkish and for sending their works to us.”
