50,000 diplomats, foreigners to learn Turkish for integration

A nongovernmental organization (NGO) set out a lofty goal to integrate foreigners in to Turkish way of life and culture.

From staff members of diplomatic missions to resident expatriates, some 50,000 foreigners will be taught the Turkish language, customs and culture by 2022.

The Coordination Center for World Human Rights and Foreigners (YAKOM) seek to make prospective students "volunteer culture envoys" for Turkey, the NGO's President Zafer Işık said.

Classes are part of a wider project for capacity building for the Turkish public, namely, training the unskilled locals to help them to find jobs.

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency, Işık said they would offer basic, intermediate and advanced Turkish language classes for foreigners and introduce them to "Anatolian and Turkish culture."

Students will also be taught about Turkey in general, from its governance to education system and from its economy to religion.

"Thus, we will train volunteer culture envoys who will promote our country in the international community fluently and accurately," Işık said.

Turkish is rapidly gaining popularity especially in country's region thanks to Turkey's efforts to reach out more communities as it emerges as a powerful actor in international relations.

Several state-run agencies already offer Turkish classes across the world.

Since its inauguration in 2007, the Yunus Emre Institute, for instance, has been running dozens of cultural centers worldwide and it teaches both the Turkish language and culture and arts to foreigners, from the Balkans to Asia.