We have 502 students from 27 African countries, all of whom are our guests
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The world must be ready for a new Africa
The African Diaspora Forum, organized by “Our Africa Platform”, was held at Sütlüce Campus, hosted by Istanbul Ticaret University.
In his speech at the opening of the forum, our Rector Prof. Dr. Abdulhamit Avşar said that the world must be ready for an Africa that is free from its shackles and has an active role in the world order.
İSTANBUL
In addition to Rector Prof. Dr. Avşar, Istanbul Coordinator of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities Mr. Emre Oruç, Consul General of Sudan Mr. Halid Alkhair Dfalla Abuaagla, Consul General of Ghana Mr. Salamatu Yakubu, Consul General of Algeria Mr. Muhammed Mariami, representatives from the Libyan, Angolan and Moroccan Consulates, and many African academicians and students attended the opening session of the forum, which was held under the subtitle of “Experiences, Interactions and New Challenges”.
WE PLAY A ROLE IN TÜRKİYE’S DEVELOPMENT
Mr. Farouk Mintoiba, the Coordinator of the Forum, started his speech by thanking Istanbul Ticaret University, from which he graduated, for hosting the Forum. Mintoiba emphasized that the forum forms the basis of common aspirations and efforts. Stating that Türkiye, the land of opportunities and diversity, has welcomed them with open arms and that these opportunities are not few at all, Mr. Mintiabo said, “As members of the African diaspora, we play a vital role in contributing to Türkiye’s development and enriching its cultural landscape. Today, we come together to build a meaningful future for both Türkiye and Africa.”
35 THOUSAND AFRICAN STUDENTS APPLIED TO THE TÜRKİYE SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM
Istanbul Coordinator of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities Mr. Emre Oruç explained their reasons for supporting the Forum as follows: “In Western literature, cultural diplomacy is based on spreading one’s own culture to other geographies and creating a sphere of influence through it. On the other hand, the cultural diplomacy that we strive to implement envisages rediscovering our historical ties and emphasizing our common values.” Mr. Oruç also informed that more than 35 thousand applications were received from the African continent for the Türkiye Scholarships program in 2023, and scholarship support was provided to 941 students.
“AFRICA IS GETTING FREE OF ITS SHACKLES”
Istanbul Ticaret University Rector Prof. Dr. Abdulhamit Avşar reminded that, contrary to contrary to the general perception, African lands have been the scene of the most civilized societies in the world for many centuries. Stating that the African continent has rediscovering its potential, Prof. Dr. Avşar said, “The whole world is waking up to a different Africa in the 21st century. This ancient geography of humanity has now begun to have a say in its own destiny and to establish its own game. For this reason, the world must now be ready for an Africa that is freed from its shackles and has an active role in the world order.” Prof. Dr. Avşar emphasized that Türkiye is one of the countries that will be most pleased with the awakening of Africa.
“WE HAVE 502 AFRICAN STUDENTS”
Reminding that today, there are hundreds of thousands of African students from all over the continent who dispersed to every corner of the world for education, Prof. Dr. Avşar continued his speech as follows: “Within the scope of all this extraordinary student mobility, Türkiye is one of the countries most preferred by African students. Currently, we have 99 undergraduate students from 27 African countries and 403 graduate students from 25 African countries, all of whom are our guests at our university. We consider each of them an integral part of our family. We attach great importance and find it valuable to develop concrete and sustainable collaborations with various universities in Africa.”
