"Periodicals in the Balkans: The Adventure of Islamic Thought, 1918-2018"

The project "Periodicals in the Balkans: The Adventure of Islamic Thought, 1918-2018" project was introduced. The project aims to analyse Islamic thought in the region. The promotion programme of the project "Periodicals in the Balkans: The Adventure of Islamic Thought, 1918-2018" project's introductory programme was held.

The introductory event of the project, which is carried out by the Balkan Studies Foundation with the support of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), was attended by Nazif Yılmaz, Deputy Minister of National Education, Abdullah Eren, President of YTB, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Aörmez, President of the Institute of Islamic Thought and Former President of Religious Affairs. Dr. Mehmet Aörmez, President of the Institute of Islamic Thought and Former President of Religious Affairs, Vedat Ahmet, President of the Supreme Islamic Council of Bulgaria and guests from Türkiye and abroad attended the event held at YTB Anatolia-Rumelia Culture and Arts Area.

In his speech at the programme, YTB President Abdullah Eren stated that they attach great importance to academic studies and that they attach particular importance to studies on the Balkans. Eren said that thanks to this project, the intellectual infrastructure that can shed light on today will come to light. "We find academic studies carried out by the public sector with universities, non-governmental organisations, research and thought centres valuable. We also try to give special support to the studies on the Balkans. This project is very valuable in terms of seeing the course of Islamic thought. The first period of this project, which deals with 3 different periods, has ended. Thanks to this project, we see the intellectual infrastructure that can shed light on today."

Nazif Yılmaz, Deputy Minister of National Education, stated that he closely follows the project-based activities of YTB. Yılmaz said that YTB, which carries out studies on the scholarship of international students, has also carried out valuable works in terms of periodicals. He stated that such periodicals are important in terms of keeping the forgotten cultures alive. "Periodicals should be seen as a school in terms of reflecting the history of the period in which they are located and the socio-cultural structure of that period," he said.

After the opening speeches, former President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez gave the opening seminar. Görmez commemorated the anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre and stated that unfortunately we are witnessing the continuation of this massacre in Gaza today. Thanking those who contributed to the study prepared to record the memory of the Balkan geography, Görmez said: "Memory, identity and belonging are very interrelated concepts. There is no identity without memory and no belonging without identity. I sincerely congratulate YTB, the Balkan Studies Foundation and all the researchers who contributed to this work for their work to record the memory of the Balkan geography, where we have shared a common culture, history and belief for centuries." Giving information about the historical process regarding the introduction of Islam to the Balkans and the issues regarding the permanence of Islam in the region, Görmez said "The conquest of the Balkans has exhausted Western orientalism. Because we are talking about a conquest that cannot be explained only with soldiers and swords. There are different theories about the introduction of Islam to the Balkans. Although it is said that Islam spread in the Balkans with the sword according to the Serbian theory and with the devshirme system according to another theory, we know that hearts are open to Islam. Islam has such a power that when it enters the hearts, it gives people the power to turn the lands where they are located into homeland."

The Panel Ended with "Periodicals in the Balkans: The Adventure of Islamic Thought, 1918-2018" programme ended with a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Sevba Abdula, President of the Balkan Studies Foundation, with the participation of Vedat S. Ahmed, President of the Supreme Islamic Shura in Bulgaria, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Köroğlu from Istanbul University and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamdi Çilingir from Sakarya University as speakers.