Turkish Language Assembly Held in Thessaloniki

The 7th International Turkish Language Assembly was held jointly by Bilkent University and the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, Greece, last week. Representatives from several countries met September 25-28 to discuss developments and new findings concerning the Turkish language.

Scholars from Turkey and elsewhere took part in sessions addressing a wide variety of topics, including the sources and history of the Turkish language, Turkish grammar and etymology, Turkish literature, the teaching of Turkish as a foreign language, the importance of communication tools in language education, common language, and issues regarding the usage of Turkish in the mass media.

The assembly opened with speeches by Asst. Prof. Rasim Özyürek, director of Bilkent University's Training Programs for Regional Countries, Dr. Dimitris Stamatopoulos of the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, Dr. İoannis Chatzidimitriou, rector of the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, and Tuğrul Bilek, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs consul general in Thessaloniki.