The Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) is consolidating its role as a cornerstone of cultural diplomacy by preparing to launch an artificial intelligence-based Turkish language teaching platform in 2026, a move expected to significantly scale the global reach of Turkish-language education.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) recently, YEE President Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Aliy said the initiative marks a strategic shift toward technology-driven language instruction, positioning Turkish as a more accessible global language. “We aim to teach Turkish to the world through artificial intelligence,” Aliy said, emphasizing that the platform will combine advanced technology with proven methodologies for teaching Turkish as a second language.
YEE maintained a strong operational momentum throughout 2025, continuing its mission to promote the Turkish language and culture worldwide. The institute operates 93 cultural centers across 69 countries, forming an extensive cultural diplomacy network that supports language education, academic cooperation and cultural engagement.
During the year, YEE provided Turkish language education to approximately 26,000 learners through both face-to-face and online courses. Beyond adult education, the institute expanded its focus on younger audiences by increasing efforts to introduce Turkish in schools abroad. Through the “My Choice Is Turkish Project,” YEE worked with educational institutions in multiple countries to offer Turkish as an elective or compulsory foreign language, enabling around 22,000 students to learn Turkish in 2025.
In parallel, YEE continued to strengthen academic infrastructure overseas through its Turkology Project, which supports Turkology departments and trains specialists capable of promoting Turkish language and culture in diverse academic environments. As part of this initiative, approximately 2,500 students received Turkish language instruction during the year.
Cultural programming remained a central pillar of YEE’s outreach strategy. In 2025, the institute organized more than 1,000 cultural events worldwide, ranging from exhibitions and panels to concerts and theatrical performances. One of the flagship initiatives was the “Anatolian Breezes Turkish Jazz Music Tour,” which brought together audiences in 11 cities across six Balkan countries, blending Anatolia’s musical heritage with the universal language of jazz.
Aliy noted that cultural activities are increasingly used as a strategic tool to stimulate interest in learning Turkish. He said curiosity about Turkish cuisine, art, history, archaeology, geography and architecture often serves as a gateway to language learning, helping counter declining motivation for foreign language acquisition in the digital age.
Looking ahead, YEE is preparing to convene the Second Baku Turkology Congress on Feb. 26, 2026, in partnership with Marmara University’s Institute of Turkic Studies, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, and Khazar University. The congress will be held at the historic Ismailiyya Palace in Baku, exactly 100 years after the first Turkology congress took place at the same venue, underscoring its symbolic and academic significance.
With the planned AI-based Turkish teaching platform, expanded education programs and a growing portfolio of cultural initiatives, YEE is positioning itself to deepen its global impact and modernize the international teaching of Turkish through an integrated, forward-looking approach.
