Gül Says Olympiads Will Build Bridges Between Turkey, Foreign Countries
President Abdullah Gül has praised students participating in the 7th International Turkish Olympiads, saying they would help build bridges between Turkey and their own countries. Gül received around 100 students on Wednesday in the Çankaya presidential palace.
He said the youths' knowledge of Turkish connects Turkey with the rest of the world. "More than 300 million people speak Turkish all around the world. Students learning Turkish in far-away countries is something new. This shows Turkey's strength. It also connects Turkey with the rest of the world," Gül stated.
The president also said Turkish-speaking students would help build bridges of friendship between Turkey and their countries. "You will build very beautiful bridges between Turkey and your countries with your Turkish. These bridges will be in the fields of politics, commerce, economy and culture. You will be voluntary envoys of Turkey. You will carry Turkey's and the Turkish people's beauty and friendship to your own countries," Gül told the students.
Gül also praised Turkish schools abroad and extended his thanks to everyone who contributed to the establishment of those schools.
Duale Sigat, a Kenyan student, presented a Beşiktaş jersey to the president. Gül later posed for a souvenir photo with the students.
Organized by the International Turkish Education Association (TÜRKÇEDER), this year's Turkish Olympiads host students from such diverse countries as Afghanistan, Argentina, Venezuela, Benin, Ethiopia, France, Italy, Uganda, Maldives and Sri Lanka. This year's competition is being held in Ankara, İstanbul and Bursa.
The Olympiads are seen as a cultural festival during which students promote their countries. The students later paid a visit to Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arinç in his office. Arinç said the Olympiads were a great opportunity to spread the knowledge of Turkish all around the world. "It is not possible to make Turkish a widely spoken language only by sitting at a table and writing books on its richness," he noted.
Arinç likened the event to the United Nations. "There are students from 115 countries, which is more than half of the countries member to the UN. Children from all countries are participating in the event. We have organizations that increase the love for Turkey and Turkish in every country," he added.
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