Poets from 12 countries gather in Skopje for Yahya Kemal Poetry Festival
The 11th International Yahya Kemal Beyatlı Turkish Poetry Festival was held in Skopje, bringing together 30 poets from 12 countries to celebrate the legacy of one of Turkish literature’s most influential figures.
The event, organized by the Köprü Association under the auspices of the Union of Turkish Non-Governmental Organizations in Macedonia (MATÜSİTEB) and supported by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), attracted prominent figures including TİKA President Abdullah Eren, former Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Mustafa Şentop, representatives of Turkish and local institutions, as well as poets and literature enthusiasts.
Speaking to journalists, Abdullah Eren emphasized the significance of hosting poets from across the Turkic world. He recalled that Yahya Kemal Beyatlı was born in Skopje and quoted the poet’s famous saying, “Wherever Turkish is spoken, there is a homeland,” underlining the importance of preserving and nurturing the Turkish language in the land of his birth.
Former Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop praised the organizers and highlighted Yahya Kemal’s importance in Turkish literature, describing poetry as a gateway to the human inner world and a window to a society’s conscience. He portrayed Skopje as “a city built not of stone and soil, but of sounds,” noting that poetry transforms the city’s many voices into meaning.
MATÜSİTEB President Tahsin İbrahim thanked TİKA for its support, describing Yahya Kemal Beyatlı not only as a powerful poet but also as a “repository of civilization’s memory.”
Speaking on behalf of the festival’s organizing committee, Köprü Magazine Editor-in-Chief Leyla Şerif Emin stressed Yahya Kemal’s special significance for the Turkish community in North Macedonia. She noted that poets from across the Turkic world reciting Turkish poetry in the poet’s birthplace reinforced the resilience and continuity of the Turkish language in the region.
“This evening, with the participation of 30 poets from 12 different countries — from Yakutia and the Altai region to the banks of the Danube — we are once again experiencing the excitement and enthusiasm of the Turkish language at the historic Davut Pasha Hammam, an Ottoman heritage site,” Emin said.
During the program, poets from 12 countries, including Turkey, Azerbaijan, Western Thrace, North Macedonia and Kosovo, recited their original works.
Anthology Presented to Participants
Guests attending the event received a copy of “The New Turkish Poetry in Rumelia Anthology,” published by Divan Publishing and prepared by Hüsrev Emin and Mehmed Arif. The anthology includes biographies and poems by several poets from Western Thrace.
Certificates were also presented to participating poets.
Yahya Kemal Beyatlı, born in Skopje on Dec. 2, 1884, under the name Ahmed Agah, remains one of the most prominent figures in Turkish literature. Organizers stated that he will continue to be commemorated through international events held in Skopje in the years to come.
