― 15 апреля 2026 г.
Panel dedicated to the 150th Anniversary of the Birthday of Ziya Gökalp
Within the framework of events announced by TURKSOY for the Commemorative Year of the 150th Anniversary of the Birthday of Ziya Gökalp- one of the leading figures of the Turkic World- in 2026 a special panel was organised in cooperation of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) with the Kocaeli University to mark the anniversary of his passing.
Hosted by the Kocaeli University, the panel entitled “Ziya Gökalp: Thought and Legacy” was attended by a large audience including representatives from the Turkic World, scholars and young people. The panel began with a moment of silence followed by the Turkish National Anthem and went on with the screening of a promotional video on Turkic Culture produced by TURKSOY.
‘TURKSOY is a Home for Young People’
Speaking at the opening of the event, TURKSOY Deputy Secretary General Sayit Yusuf highlighted the importance of passing on Ziya Gökalp’s ideas to new generations and stressed the importance of cultural diplomacy in fostering mutual acquintance and understanding among Turkic peoples, saying that: "TURKSOY was established in order to promote the shared culture and civilisation of Turkic peoples. The way to overcome communication issues between our regions lies in recognising our common roots. We will continue to promote Ziya Gökalp not only in Türkiye but also in the Balkans and Central Asia. We want our young people to take a keen interest in the Turkic World; remember that TURKSOY is a home for young people."
The Social Power of Literature and Unifying Nationalism
The Rector of the Kocaeli University, Prof. Dr. Nuh Zafer Cantürk, stated that Ziya Gökalp served as a guiding light, proving that the Turkish nation could modernise itself without severing its roots and said: “Gökalp has shown us that literature is not merely an aesthetic realm, but the most powerful tool to build social consciousness.”
Another important guest of the panel was the MP of Samsun and Deputy Chairman of the MHP, Prof. Dr. İlyas Topsakal who highlighted Gökalp’s concept of “Unifying Nationalism” and said: “The greatest strength of our nation lies in our history and the traditions we have inherited from our ancestors. Ziya Gökalp is one of the most significant reformers in our history of transformation. He taught us how to interpret our great history spanning Eurasia and left behind a definition of unifying nationalism. We must rediscover the depth of our language and history.”
During the panel moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr Meryem Gürbüz, Prof. Dr Erkan Göksu, Assoc. Prof. Dr Esma Torun Çelik, Assoc. Prof. Dr A. Kutalmış Yalçın and Assoc. Prof. Dr Mustafa Eren presented papers on Ziya Gökalp’s sociological, literary and political legacy
