Turkey, UNESCO working to introduce wise men from Anatolia
A statue commemorating Ahi Evran in the complex named after him, Kırşehir, Turkey, Feb. 17, 2021. (AA Photo)


Turkey and UNESCO are working together to introduce the wise men of Anatolia using various activities in Turkey and abroad.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Selahattin Ekicioğlu, the mayor of central Kırşehir province, praised UNESCO's cooperation to herald the Anatolian philosophers.

"We are very happy that UNESCO declared 2021 as the year of Ahi Evran (founder of the Ahi order), Yunus Emre and Hacı Bektaş ... We will hold meetings, panel discussions and symposiums in Turkey and abroad. We will do our best in 2021 to introduce these three wise men," he said.

In 2019, UNESCO included the three Turkish philosophers in its 2020-2021 program for the celebration of anniversaries.

Ekicioğlu also noted that Kırşehir was the only Turkish city in UNESCO's Creative Cities Network in 2019 and that it is home to shrines for Evran and Emre.

Emphasizing how the city has come to the fore worldwide in terms of both culture and art, the mayor said that they organized different events in the field of music last year.

Local municipalities established a committee as part of their promotional efforts, in which they will endeavor to keep the teachings of these philosophers alive after the coronavirus pandemic has slowed down, Ekicioğlu added.