― 22 мая 2026 г.
Commemoration of Ziya Gökalp in Diyarbakır on the 150th anniversary of his birthday
Ziya Gökalp was commemorated in Diyarbakır on the 150th anniversary of his birthday.
The poet, author, sociologist, and intellectual Ziya Gökalp is being commemorated with events held in Diyarbakır, his birthplace, on the 150th anniversary of his birthday.
As part of the Commemorative Year of Ziya Gökalp 2026, events—organized in cooperation with TURKSOY, the Office of the Governor of Diyarbakır and the Dicle University—began with the opening of the International Ziya Gökalp Congress held at the Ziya Gökalp Hall of Dicle University’s July 15 Culture and Congress Center. Prior to the events, guests and provincial officials visited the Ziya Gökalp Memorial Museum and laid flowers.
Opening of the International Ziya Gökalp Congress
As part of the program held in Diyarbakır on May 22–23, 2026, which included a congress, a concert, and a theater performance, the International Ziya Gökalp Congress marked the first phase of the events.
The opening ceremony of the congress was attended by the Governor of Diyarbakır Mr. Murat Zorluoğlu, AK Party Deputy Chairman and Head of Relations with Turkic States Kürşad Zorlu, the Ambassador of the TRNC to Ankara H.E. Mr. Ismet Korukoğlu, TURKSOY Deputy Secretary General Sayit Yusuf, the Rector of the Dicle University Prof. Dr. Kamuran Eronat, the President of the Turkish Cultural Association Prof. Dr. Mehmet Öz, and Ziya Gökalp’s grandson Dicle Eroğul. The event, which included the provincial protocol, scholars from both Türkiye and abroad, students, and invited guests, was held with a high turnout.
Speaking at the event, the Governor of Diyarbakır Mr. Murat Zorluoğlu noted that Diyarbakır holds a special place in the nation’s collective memory not only for its historical structures but also for the intellectuals, artists, and scholars it has produced. Noting that Diyarbakır is an ancient city that has hosted 33 different civilizations throughout history, Zorluoğlu emphasized that Ziya Gökalp is one of the most important intellectuals to have emerged from these lands.
In his speech, Governor Zorluoğlu said: “What makes cities unique and enduring are not only their architectural and cultural assets but also their cultural and intellectual landscape, the poets, artists, and scholars they have produced. This powerful intellectual voice born in Diyarbakır continues to shed light not only on the era in which he lived but also on today’s world and our vision of the future. Understanding Ziya Gökalp means grasping Diyarbakır’s intellectual climate. For Gökalp is not merely a name born in this city; he shaped his early education, observations, and initial intellectual quests within the cultural atmosphere of these lands.”
Governor Zorluoğlu also noted that TURKSOY’s declaration of 2026 as the “Ziya Gökalp Commemoration Year” is a great source of pride for Diyarbakır, adding that this decision presents an important opportunity to pass on Gökalp’s intellectual legacy to younger generations and to make his place in Diyarbakır’s intellectual life more visible.
In the speeches delivered at the opening of the congress, Ziya Gökalp’s intellectual world, his contributions to Turkish cultural life, and his role in the development of a unity consciousness within the Turkic World were emphasized.
AK Party Deputy Chairman and Head of Relations with Turkic States Kürşad Zorlu highlighted the importance of Ziya Gökalp’s intellectual world for the Turkic World in his speech. Noting that reading and understanding Gökalp means grasping the concept of unity shaped around a shared culture, shared conscience, and shared ideals, Zorlu stated that Diyarbakır is an ancient city where different cultures have converged throughout history, where civilizations have left their mark, and where the will to live together is strongly represented.
Mr. Zorlu emphasized that Ziya Gökalp’s intellectual system—rooted in tradition yet oriented toward the future—continues to inspire cultural collaborations, joint memory initiatives, and the strengthening of bonds within the “heartland” of the Turkic World. Noting that Diyarbakır is an integral part of the Turkic World due to its historical, cultural, and intellectual heritage, Zorlu highlighted the importance of implementing new projects in the fields of culture, education, academia, and cooperation between Diyarbakır and institutions in Turkic states and the “heartland” in the coming period.
H. E. Mr. Ismet Korukoğlu, the Ambassador of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to Ankara, noted that Ziya Gökalp is one of the prominent figures in the history of Turkish thinking. Korukoğlu stated that through his works, in which he subjected the Turkish nation’s cultural memory, social structure, and vision of civilization to a rigorous intellectual scrutiny, Gökalp contributed to the intellectual power of the shared Turkic World.
In his speech, Korukoğlu stated: “The ideas of this great thinker, who hailed from Diyarbakır, have played a significant role in shaping language, culture, education, and the concept of unity, leaving a great legacy in the preservation of the shared values of the Turkic World and their transmission to future generations. According to Gökalp, the most important elements of a nation are language, culture, and shared values. The intellectual balance Ziya Gökalp established between culture and civilization continues to shape the shared future of the Turkic World today.”
TURKSOY Deputy Secretary General Sayit Yusuf: “We Will Introduce Ziya Gökalp to a Wider Audience in the Turkic World”
TURKSOY Deputy Secretary General Sayit Yusuf stated in his opening speech at the congress that TURKSOY brings to the forefront, on an annual basis, significant figures who have secured a place in the shared memory of the Turkic World through commemorative years.
Noting that 2026 was declared the “Ziya Gökalp Commemoration Year” with great enthusiasm by the culture ministers of TURKSOY member countries to understand, explain, and introduce Ziya Gökalp through various events, Deputy Secretary General Yusuf emphasized that the program held in Diyarbakır carries special significance in this regard.
Deputy Secretary General Yusuf further said: “I would like to express that I am personally very happy to be in this hall, having walked the streets where Ziya Gökalp lived, experienced the environment he was part of, and breathed the air he breathed. Since its establishment in 1993, TURKSOY has been an organization dedicated to introducing the prominent figures, values, and shared heritage of the Turkic World; and to developing and preserving cultural values to pass them on to future generations and the centuries to come. When the idea of designating the year 2026 as the “Year of Ziya Gökalp” for the Turkic World originated from the Ministry of Culture, the cultural ministries and delegations of our member countries unanimously and enthusiastically embraced this proposal. This serves as a testament to the fact that Ziya Gökalp is held in higher esteem within the Turkic World than we might have anticipated.”
Deputy Secretary General Yusuf also noted that throughout 2026, Ziya Gökalp will be introduced to the Turkic World and various regions through panels, exhibitions, book projects, translations into Turkic languages, theater performances, and symposia and said: “We have undertaken the mission of understanding Ziya Gökalp, reinterpreting him, sharing his legacy, and promoting him through events to be held in Europe and various parts of the world, Europe, and various parts of the world.”
Highlighting Diyarbakır’s special place within this commemorative year, Yusuf continued: “It is certainly significant that Diyarbakır is a key component of this initiative. Because he was from Diyarbakır; he was born there. Diyarbakır is one of the most important and ancient centers of our civilization’s history. This event will provide an important opportunity for Diyarbakır to get to know the other ancient centers of the Turkic World, and for our Turkic World to get to know Diyarbakır.”
Yusuf expressed his hope that the programs held in Diyarbakır would evolve into lasting collaborations in the coming period, saying, “God willing, this will become a regular practice, and we will organize a wide variety of events in our Diyarbakır. We will bring our Diyarbakır to various centers of the Turkic World and hold events there as well. Thus, we will further strengthen cultural interaction.”
Gökalp’s Intellectual World Examined from an Academic Perspective
The Rector of the Dicle University, Prof. Dr. Kamuran Eronat stated that Ziya Gökalp is not merely a figure of his own era but a powerful name whose ideas are still debated, whose works are still read, and whose intellectual legacy continues to influence thought even a century later.
Recalling that Gökalp’s educational life took shape in Diyarbakır, Eronat noted that he was not merely a thinker but also one of the founding figures of Turkish sociology. Eronat emphasized that Gökalp’s distinction between “culture and civilization” and his approach of “Turkification, Islamization, and Modernization” made significant contributions to the intellectual foundation of modern Türkiye.
Noting that Diyarbakır has not merely been a political and commercial center throughout history but also one of the key centers of science, culture, and thought, Eronat stated: “With its madrasas, rich family libraries, literary circles, and the scholars it has nurtured, this city has produced many figures who have shaped the history of Turkish thought and culture. Ziya Gökalp is one of the greatest thinkers nurtured by this ancient cultural environment. I hope our congress will serve as an opportunity for fruitful scientific discussions, new studies, and strong academic collaborations.”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Öz, the President of the Turkish Cultural Association, noted that Ziya Gökalp produced great works despite his short life and emphasized that he was not merely a man of ideas but also a man of action.
Ziya Gökalp’s granddaughter, Dicle Eroğul, touched upon Gökalp’s ideas regarding family, education, the role of women in social life, and the upbringing of youth in her speech. Eroğul noted that Gökalp had packed a multifaceted intellectual legacy into his short life, stating, “His light continues to illuminate us.”
Medals of Ziya Gökalp handed over by TURKSOY
Following the opening speeches, TURKSOY Ziya Gökalp Medals were presented to individuals who have contributed to preserving Ziya Gökalp’s intellectual legacy, promoting Turkish culture, and strengthening cultural ties within the Turkic World.
The medals handed over as part of the Commemorative Year of Ziya Gökalp 2026 announced by TURKSOY, underlined that Gökalp represents a shared intellectual and cultural value not only for Türkiye but for the entire Turkic World.
At the event, Ziya Gökalp Medals of TURKSOY were handed over to the Governor of Diyarbakır Murat Zorluoğlu, AK Party Deputy Chairman and Head of Relations with Turkic States Kürşad Zorlu, the Rector of the Dicle University Prof. Dr. Kamuran Eronat, and Ziya Gökalp’s grandson Dicle Eroğul.
Performance of a theater play on Ziya Gökalp
The event featured the performance of a play on Ziya Gökalp dedicated to the Commemorative Year declared by TURKSOY.
Produced in cooperation of TURKSOY with the Office of the Governor of Diyarbakır and the Dicle University, the play inspired by Ziya Gökalp’s life and work was performed at the Dicle University on May 22nd, 2026.
Performed by artists of the Ankara State Theater, the play featured the story of a nation’s rebirth through Ziya Gökalp’s quest for truth, identity, and ideals. Spanning from turbulent periods of history to the founding of the Republic, the play introduced not only the life of a great philosopher but also a society’s memory its will to exist, and vision for the future to the audience.
The one-act play, written by Derya Özer and directed by Cem Sel, lasted approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. Murat Kesim portrayed the character of Ziya Gökalp, while the chorus and stage performance received great acclaim from the audience.
The Congress went on with parallel sessions
Following the opening program, medal presentation, and theater performance, the International Ziya Gökalp Congress continued with academic sessions.
In the parallel sessions organized as part of the congress, Ziya Gökalp’s intellectual world was examined through the perspectives of sociology, literature, education, culture, history, the concept of nation, the Turkic World, and modernization.
In the papers presented by academics from both Türkiye and abroad, Gökalp’s contributions to Turkish intellectual life, the cultural sphere, educational philosophy, and the shared memory of the Turkic World were evaluated from the perspective of various disciplines.
As part of the events, a special exhibition prepared by TURKTAV on Ziya Gökalp’s works and intellectual theory was opened to visitors. Information regarding the exhibition was shared with participants by TURKTAV President Ö. Nizamettin Aykurt. In addition, a cooperation protocol was signed between TURKSOY and the Dicle University within the framework of the congress.
Events dedicated to the Commemorative Year of Ziya Gökalp will go on with a special concert to be held on May 23rd, 2026, at the Kayapınar Public Library Concert Hall with the contribution of artists from the Directorate of Mersin State Opera and Ballet. The concert will begin at 6:00 PM.
