Western Thrace Turks attended the 10th Annual Meeting of FUEN TAG
The Western Thrace Turkish delegation consisting of ABTTTF, WTMUGA and FEP Party and their representatives conveyed the current developments related to the Turkish community in Western Thrace during the meeting.
The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA) and Friendship, Equality and Peace (FEP) Party representing the Turkish community in Western Thrace attended the 10th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Turkic Minorities/Communities (TAG) of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) held in Ankara, the capital of motherland Türkiye on 30 October-1 November 2024.
ABTTF President and FUEN TAG Spokesperson Halit Habip Oğlu, ABTTF Vice-President and FUEN Vice-President Nabi Ibrahimcik, ABTTF Vice-President Sebahattin Mümin and ABTTF Head Office Manager K. Engin Soyyılmaz attended the meeting as FUEN TAG Secretariat officer.
Representatives of Turkic minorities and communities living in a wide geography from the Balkans to the Caucasus met in Ankara
ABTTF, WTMUGA and FEP Party representing Western Thrace Turks; Rhodes, Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese Turks Culture and Solidarity Association (ROISDER) representing Rhodes and Kos Turks; Public Organisation of Meskhetian Turks “VATAN” representing Meskhetian Turks; the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (QTMM) representing the Crimean Tatars; the Kosovo Youth Union Association (KGBD) representing the Turks in Kosovo; the Ukrainian Gagauz Union representing the Ukrainian Gagauz people; Turkish Democratic Party (TDP) representing the North Macedonian Turks; ‘‘Meras’’ Association, which protects and develops the Gagauz Language and Culture, representing the Gagauz people in Moldova and Bulgarian Turks were represented by the Recep Küpçü Turkish Cultural Centre, Mevlana Folk Culture House and Youth and Innovative Development Association.
The FUEN TAG delegation was hosted by the Vice-President of the Republic of Türkiye and officials responsible for the Turkic linguistic and cultural world.
Within the framework of the programme, the delegation headed by FUEN TAG Spokesperson Halit Habip Oğlu visited the official authorities of the Republic of Türkiye on 31 October.
The FUEN TAG delegation first visited the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and was received by YTB Vice-President Abdulhadi Turus. Later, the FUEN TAG delegation visited the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) and was hosted by TÜRKSOY Secretary-General Sultan Raev and Deputy Secretary-General Sayit Yusuf. The FUEN TAG delegation visited Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) and was received by YEE Vice-President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cahid Şenel and Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and was hosted by TIKA President Serkan Kayalar.
During the visits where the FUEN TAG delegation was informed about the activities, studies and programmes of YTB, TÜRKSOY, YEE and TIKA, FUEN TAG Spokesperson Habip Oğlu revealed information about FUEN and TAG, and ideas were exchanged on the activities that can be carried out as stakeholders.
FUEN TAG’s activities and road map for 2025 were determined
On 1 November, the FUEN TAG round table meeting began with the opening and welcoming speeches of FUEN TAG Spokesperson Halit Habip Oğlu and FUEN Vice President Nabi Ibrahimcik. Habip Oğlu delivered information about the activities of TAG and Ibrahimcik about the activities of FUEN in the last year.
Afterwards, representatives of Western Thrace Turks, Rhodes and Kosovo Turks, Meskhetian Turks, Crimean Tatars, Kosovo Turks, Ukrainian Gagauzians, North Macedonian Turks, Moldovan Gagauzians and Bulgarian Turks presented the important developments in the Turkic minorities and communities they belong to, their current problems and the activities of the organisations they represent.
The meeting, where the activities of FUEN TAG for 2025 were discussed, ended with the determination of a common roadmap for 2025 with the contributions of the participating organisations.
Following the meeting, FUEN TAG delegation was received by the Vice-President of the Republic of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz at the Presidential Complex. FUEN TAG Spokesperson Habip Oğlu explained that they held their tenth annual meeting in Ankara after their first annual meeting in 2014 and briefed about FUEN and TAG and their activities. During the meeting, the members of the delegation had the opportunity to convey the activities of the organisations they represent.
