In collaboration with Lacivert Magazine and the Yunus Emre Institute (YEE), the International Encounters events organized in 10 countries and 14 cities in Europe so far headed to the U.K.'s London and Dublin, Ireland.
Leading figures from Türkiye in various fields such as literature, psychology and media, as well as Turks living abroad and guests interested in Turkish culture, came together at the meetings.
At the event held at the British Library in the U.K., Lacivert Magazine Editor-in-Chief Mustafa Akar emphasized the importance of Yunus Emre in our lives and underscored what Yunus Emre should mean for contemporary people. Daily Sabah Editor-in-Chief and author Ibrahim Altay delivered a thought-provoking speech pointing out the intersections of technology, society, philosophy and politics with memories of important figures in our cultural life. Clinical psychologist Beyhan Budak shared ways to cope with daily stress and provided guests with an opportunity to examine their own mental states. Author Tarık Tufan offered an imaginary journey into the universe of Turkish literature with his sincere style and engaged in an interactive conversation with the audience.
The meeting was organized in Dublin, the capital of Ireland, on May 16, and it was attended by Turkish students living and studying in the country. After the opening speech of the ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye in Dublin, Mehmet Hakan Olcay, the audience at the Thomas Davis Theatre at Trinity College listened to Altay's speech titled "Libraries, Books and Authors." Beyhan Budak focused on "Learning to Treat Yourself Well" in her speech about human relationships and shared important details from her life story with the participants. Tarık Tufan, on the other hand, suggested ways to breathe amid the pace of modern life and delivered his speech titled "Literature to Survive."
Among the projects aimed at bringing Türkiye's rich cultural heritage from literature to cinema, from traditional handicrafts to gastronomy to the international arena, the event stood out with the slogan "Turkish Unites" and the speeches, presentations, conversations and Q&A sessions were well-received.
