YTB Brought Together 90 Educators Passing Turkish on to New Generations in Europe in Amsterdam

Organized by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the European Turkish Educators Certification Program (ATES) was held with the participation of 90 educators from the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

Organized on October 17–18, 2026, the program aimed to enhance the quality of Turkish language education for Turkish children living abroad, develop the professional competencies of educators, and expand educational methods suitable for the needs of bilingual children.

​In the two-day program supported by 8 academics from Türkiye and Europe, topics such as bilingualism, teaching Turkish to children through games and drama, educational methods for students at different language levels, measurement and evaluation, and the use of new educational materials were discussed.

​“Our Turkish Language Is One of the Strongest Bonds of Our Children's Cultural Identity”

​Attending the closing and certificate ceremony of the program, YTB President Abdulhadi Turus drew attention to the importance of children living abroad establishing a strong bond with Turkish.

​Emphasizing that Turkish education holds a decisive place in children's relationships with their families and cultural heritage, Turus spoke as follows:

​“Endearing Turkish to a child is leaving a mark on their future. Our Turkish language is one of the strongest bonds our children establish with their families, their culture, and Türkiye. While our children learn the languages of the countries they live in in the best possible way, we want them to use our Turkish correctly, effectively, and affectionately. We view bilingualism as a richness for our children, and we continue to support our educators to preserve this richness.”

​Within the scope of the Major Turkish Projects carried out by YTB to expand Turkish education abroad, educational activities have been conducted in the Netherlands since 2018, in Belgium since 2022, and in France since 2023.

​Through these efforts, a total of 18,560 students have been reached to date. Under the Turkish Hour Project Support Program, YTB has also contributed to bringing Turkish education to more than 35,000 children to date.

​Stating that the program provides an opportunity to identify field needs alongside the professional development of educators, Turus pointed out the importance of methods suitable for children's interests and needs in Turkish language instruction.

​Referring to the role of educators and non-governmental organizations in Turkish education, Turus continued his assessment as follows:

​“Our teachers, who bring our children together with our Turkish language in different European cities, put in a great effort. Sometimes in an association's classroom, sometimes in a cultural center, they strive to ensure our children learn and love Turkish. We support this effort with academic expertise, new teaching methods, and qualified materials. Because we build the future of our Turkish language together with our educators who work for our children in their classrooms today.”

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Expressing his gratitude to project managers in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, as well as non-governmental organizations, academics, and educators contributing to Turkish education, Turus stated that cooperation in this field will be strengthened and maintained.

​The two-day program concluded with a ceremony where certificates were presented to the educators.