10th International Yahya Kemal Beyatlı Turkish Poetry Festival held in Skopje
The 10th International Yahya Kemal Beyatlı Turkish Poetry Festival took place in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, in celebration of the 140th birth anniversary of the master poet Yahya Kemal Beyatlı.
Organized under the auspices of the Turkish and North Macedonian Ministries of Culture and Tourism, with the support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the event was spearheaded by the Köprü Association and the Union of Macedonian Turkish Civil Society Organizations (MATÜSİTEB).
The festival featured poets and writers from Turkey, neighboring countries, and regions including East Turkestan, Iraq, Northern Cyprus, Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Western Thrace. Among them was poet-teacher Müberra Karadayı from Western Thrace.
MATÜSİTEB President Tahsin İbrahim described the festival as a platform for projecting the Turkish language and poetry to the Turkish world from Skopje, a city Yahya Kemal called the "silent homeland."
Participants included notable figures like TİKA Vice President Mahmut Çevik and Turkish Literature Foundation President Serhat Kabaklı. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Samsakçı presented insights into Yahya Kemal’s life and works, while poets recited their own verses.
The event also showcased regional folk songs, adding a vibrant cultural dimension to the festivities. Participating poets received certificates of appreciation for their contributions.
