A special event was held at the Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) Turkish Cultural Center in Rome to understand Yunus Emre, one of the prominent poets and Sufi figures in Turkish history, and to convey the reflections of his teachings today.
At the event, Dr. Leyla Dönmez from Osmangazi University, who presented Yunus Emre’s moral values and insights, and Dr. Ömer Faruk Bayrakçı, who gave a qanun recital from a repertoire that included compositions based on Yunus Emre’s poems, shared their thoughts with Anadolu Agency (AA).
Dönmez highlighted the significance of commemorating Yunus Emre in Rome, saying: "What are the moral values and insights of the 21st-century human, the individual in the digital age and what did Yunus Emre convey to us in the 13th and 14th centuries? We expressed these ideas today. We blended the two, understanding Yunus through the values of the 13th and 14th centuries and their reflection in today’s world, as well as the values of the 21st century."
Dönmez pointed out that many values are at risk of being lost, stating: "There are core values, such as justice, honesty, love and respect. We tried to express what Yunus Emre said about these concepts in his time, though even one word from him is not enough to encapsulate it all. From that era to today, the values we hope not to lose, expressed through Yunus Emre’s words, were very important to our event."
Dönmez added that they sought answers from Yunus Emre’s teachings on how to address the values at risk of being lost or fading away. She emphasized the importance of introducing great Sufis like Yunus Emre and Mevlana to students to raise awareness.
Bayrakçı, who earned praise for his qanun recital at the event, noted that many of Yunus Emre’s works have been set to music, saying: "The poems are so beautiful that many composers involved in religious music have competed to set Yunus’s works to music. Yunus is not only a significant figure in literature but also holds an important place in music."
"As a qanun performer, I take great pleasure in performing Yunus’s compositions. In today’s program, we presented small samples of Yunus’s works. We also aimed to showcase various examples of Turkish music from the 14th century to the present day," he said.
Zafer Kıyıcı, director of the YEE Rome Turkish Cultural Center, stated that they gathered to reflect on Yunus Emre’s teachings in the 21st century and the influences of Turkish music, to think about and discuss these themes and to gain a deeper understanding of this magnificent cultural heritage.
Kıyıcı described Yunus Emre as a unique child of Anatolia who gave messages of peace, love and tolerance to all humanity. He emphasized: "His words are not just a cultural and literary legacy but also a universal call that remains valid in today’s world. The challenges humanity faces in the 21st century – such as discrimination, war and hatred – show that we need Yunus Emre’s teachings more than ever. The importance of love, tolerance and unity has never been clearer."
