“YTB Meetings” Continue Where They Left Off: “History, Identity and Colonialism”

The first program of the "YTB Meetings" conference series, implemented by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), was organized in 2025. This week's guest of YTB Meetings was Prof. Azmi Özcan with his presentation titled "History, Identity and Colonialism". YTB ​​President Abdullah Eren opened the program. Eren shared information about the importance and work of YTB.

Prof. Özcan shared a memory in his speech, drawing attention to the massacres committed by Israel and emphasizing the image of Türkiye in the eyes of the people of the region. Stating that the people of the region have always seen Türkiye as a savior, Özcan also touched upon the importance of Gaza in the historical scene and said that Gaza is our sacred value in many respects and that we have a martyrdom in Gaza.

Sharing that overseas discoveries were first effective in establishing the system of oppression that emerged with colonialism, Özcan said, “If you do not create the space, if you do not determine the time, you will be condemned to live in the time and space zones set by others. Just like we call the geography we live in today, the Middle East. "It's like we call Turkestan, Central Asia," he said.

Expressing that our ancient past imposes responsibilities on us, Özcan pointed out that minds are narrowing today. Emphasizing that we have faced many problems in many areas in the last 20 years when we started to realize our responsibilities, Özcan stated that YTB staff saw this clearly in the field.

Özcan stated that, as a result of the race for imperialism, Europeans reached their current position by seizing the material assets of the exploited countries. 

Adding that the most valuable asset of today's capitalist and imperialist order that dominates the world is the consuming human, Özcan said, “We only have two values ​​to deal with all this. One, our culture. Two, our history. "We cannot sleep comfortably unless we establish the mechanisms that will keep this nation's culture alive and unless we train historians who will tell its history to new generations," he said.

Özcan continued his speech by explaining the permanent effects of colonialism on societies.

After his speech, Özcan answered the questions of the audience. The program ended after the gift presentation.