Over the past week, two major developments have come to the fore in Türkiye. First, National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin announced that they had been working extensively on the new “Maarif Model” and that an important component of this framework involves taking decisive steps for the Turkish language to remove the colonial dialogue that has permeated languages across the world.
In this sense, it is conceivable that the language of colonialism – embedded in the tongues of nations from Africa to Asia, from the Far East to Latin America – may gradually be cleansed worldwide. What makes this especially noteworthy is that the process has begun in Türkiye, which has already made significant strides in shaping intellectual discourse and in nationalizing its defense capabilities.
The second key development was the World Decolonization Forum, jointly organized by Enstitü Sosyal, or Institute Social, and the NUN Education and Culture Foundation.
As part of the new model, Tekin emphasized that colonial terminology would be removed from the national curriculum. Terms such as “Crusades” would be replaced with “Crusader Attacks,” and “Age of Discovery” with “The Beginning of Colonialism.” He described this shift as a “conceptual revolution” aimed at safeguarding the nation’s intellectual framework and historical consciousness. A closer examination would likely reveal thousands of such terms that have been subtly embedded and normalized within the Turkish language.
Meanwhile, Esra Albayrak, chairperson of the NUN Education and Culture Foundation schools, delivered a speech at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), offering a profound challenge to the historical legacy of colonialism, as well as to the sociological and anthropological frameworks that have normalized an abnormal language and imposed worldview upon humanity.
Albayrak stated: “What we need is not to reactively replace the ‘white man’s burden’ with a ‘Black man’s burden.’ Reversing the logic does not transcend it; rather, it keeps us within the very architecture of the hierarchy we seek to dismantle. What is required is the abandonment of this logic altogether. We propose to speak of the burden of humanity. We must approach the issue not as a racial or civilizational category, but as a shared responsibility arising from a more fundamental claim, and strive for a more just world befitting human dignity.”
One striking observation was the diversity of participants at the gathering in Taksim. Representatives from nations that had experienced colonialism were present in large numbers. Participants came from Latin America, Africa and Asia. At the table where we sat alone, there were delegates from Bangladesh, India, Somalia and various African countries.
Even more noteworthy was the participation of prominent Western intellectuals who have long studied colonialism. An academic from Bangladesh remarked: “Decolonization studies can be conducted anywhere in the world, but it is highly meaningful that they are being held in Istanbul, because only Türkiye possesses the capacity to challenge these processes.”
Victor Hugo once said, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” In recent years, Türkiye has taken significant steps not only through its National Technology Initiative, events such as Teknofest, and the transformation of its defense industry, but also in the socio-cultural leadership of the nations oppressed by the West.
Last year, the Ilim Yayma Foundation awarded its social sciences prize to professor Şener Aktürk for his work on “Ethno-Religious Cleansing in Western Europe,” which also reflects the growing intellectual dimension of this transformation.
Today, Türkiye’s steps are closely followed around the world. There are, of course, many factors behind this. Chief among them is leadership. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with his emphasis on justice and his consistent support for the oppressed regardless of circumstances, has become a source of hope for many. Those who wish to challenge colonial culture, colonialism, and what they perceive as Western capitalism often draw courage from his stance.
In this context, the Ministry of National Education’s initiative to cleanse Turkish of colonial language, alongside the decolonization efforts led by Enstitü Sosyal, represents a highly valuable undertaking. Both the Ministry and Enstitü Sosyal deserve recognition for their efforts.
