As part of the Turkish Fairy Tale Collection Project (TÜMAK) led by the Atatürk Cultural Center, Turkish fairy tales are being translated into multiple languages, including German, English, French, Russian, Arabic and Persian. These translations will continue to be made available worldwide via a mobile app, with plans to expand to Japanese and Spanish by the end of the year.
In a recent speech at the "Ottoman Identity and Selimiye Symposium" held at the Devecihan Cultural Center in Edirne, Assoc. Professor Zeki Eraslan, President of the Atatürk Cultural Center, discussed several pioneering projects under their initiative. Among these, the Turkish Fairy Tale Collection Project (TÜMAK) stands out as a key cultural endeavor. Eraslan highlighted the creation of a mobile application called Masal Masal Türkiye, which combines Turkish fairy tales from the pre-Islamic era to the present day in a comprehensive database.
The main goal of this project, according to Eraslan, is to integrate Turkish fairy tales into global folklore literature. "Our aim is to ensure that children all around the world become familiar with Turkish fairy tales," he explained. "We realized that the only way to achieve this is by translating our native stories into foreign languages. To date, we have translated Turkish fairy tales into German, English, French, Russian, Arabic and Persian." He added that by the end of the year, the app will also be available in Japanese and Spanish.
The mobile app, which is available for download from e-stores, will soon be accessible in even more languages. Eraslan shared that they are already observing a growing number of downloads in Türkiye and other countries. Through cooperation agreements with Türkiye's Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Ministry of National Education, the project will soon reach millions of children, helping them connect with Turkish folklore through an easily accessible digital platform.
The Masal Masal Türkiye app not only serves as a bridge to introduce Turkish fairy tales to international audiences but also encourages children to explore the rich storytelling traditions of Türkiye. The expansion of the app into additional languages will further increase its reach, ensuring that Turkish fairy tales are enjoyed by children worldwide.
