― 9 сентября 2026 г.

First overseas performance of the play “The vision of a Brave Man” held in Gostivar

The play “The vision of a Brave Man” staged by the Directorate General of State Theatres of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye to mark the 150th anniversary of the birthday of Ziya Gökalp held its first overseas performance in the city of Gostivar in North Macedonia.

The play introduced the life and work of Ziya Gökalp, one of the most important authors of the Turkic World, to  audiences in the Balkans through the universal language of art.

The event held at the Gostivar Cultural Centre marked the first performance of the play outside Turkey and attracted significant interest from protocol membersand art lovers alike.

The performance was attended by Mr. Zülfikar Zeynula, the State Minister of North Macedonia, Mr. Sayit Yusuf, the Deputy Secretary General of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), Mr. Tahsin Ibrahim, the President of the Union of Turkish Civil Society Organisations in Macedonia (MATUSITEB), Dr. Fatih Şahbaz, the General Manager of Halkbank AD in Skopje; Dr. Yunus Dilber, the Coordinator of the Yunus Emre Institute in Skopje and Prof. Dr. Fadıl Hoca, the Founding Rector of the International Vision University.

Written and performed within the framework of  the Commemorative Year of Ziya Gökalp 2026  upon proposal of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and unanimous decision of the Permanent Council of TURKSOY, the play introduced Ziya Gökalp and his understanding of the concepts of culture, language, nation and identity to the audience.

The play written by Derya Özer and directed by Cem Sel featured Murat Kesim from the Ankara State Theatre in the role of Ziya Gökalp. The production, which traces Gökalp’s intellectual journey from his childhood to the founding of the Republic, sheds light upon the collective memory of a society, its will to exist and its quest for ideals through the life of an intellectual.

Organised in cooperation of the Directorate General of State Theatres with TURKSOY and the Yunus Emre Institute with the support of MATUSITEB, the Turkish Theatre of Skopje and Halkbank, the performance introduced Ziya Gökalp’s cultural legacy to the Balkans while also making a significant contribution to the further strengthening of cultural ties between Türkiye and North Macedonia through the universal language of art.