Dr. Faruk Öndağ met with students and teachers in Western Thrace

Educator and writer from Turkey, Dr. Faruk Öndağ presented seminars under the titles of 'Motivational Storm' and 'One person, two miracles' in Xanthi and Komotini between 23 -24 January.
The events were organized by Xanthi Mufti, Komotini Mufti, Western Thrace Minority Higher Education Association (BTAYTD), and Komotini Turkish Youth Union (GTGB). Students, teachers, and kinsmen showed great interest in the seminars held at GTGB and BTAYTD Xanthi Cultural Center.
Dr. Faruk Öndağ first came to Xanthi. He met with Mustafa Trampa, Mufti of Xanthi before the seminar program, and received information about mufti studies and religious education programs. Within the framework of his visit to the Xanthi Mufti, Faruk Öndağ had a comprehensive meeting with the Religious Education Specialist Sezin Azizoğlu, the Head of the Education Branch of the Xanthi Mufti, and received information about the Young Mufti Meetings and the workshops and studies carried out. Dr. Faruk Öndağ made suggestions in order to obtain higher efficiency from the studies conducted during the meeting.
After his visit to the Xanthi Mufti, he went to the Western Thrace Minority Higher Education Association Xanthi Cultural Center. Faruk Öndağ met with President Hüseyin Baltacı here. During the meeting, the chairman Baltacı gave information about the activities of the association.
INTENSIVE ATTENTION TO THE MOTIVATION STORM FROM STUDENTS IN XANTHI
Dr. Faruk Öndağ first met with students from Xanthi at the BTAYTD Xanthi Cultural Center on Monday, January 23 at 16:00 at the seminar titled "Motivation Storm". In the seminar that Xanthi students showed great interest, Dr. Faruk Öndağ's presentation was highly appreciated. At the request of the students, Dr. Faruk Öndağ continued his motivational storm for a while, exceeding the specified time.
At the end of the event, Dr. Faruk Öndağ's books were given as gifts. Dr. Faruk Öndağ signed the students' books and took a souvenir photo together.
ISKEÇE CULTURE CENTER HALL IS NOT ENOUGH FOR EDUCATORS AND PARENTS
Dr. Faruk Öndağ met with educators and parents at the Xanthi Cultural Center on Monday, January 23 at 19:00. BTAYTD Xanthi Cultural Center Hall was insufficient for educators and parents from Xanthi. Dr. Faruk Öndağ's "One Human Two Miracles" seminar was watched with great admiration.
In the said seminar, educators and parents were given information and practices on topics such as motivation, learning psychology, and creative drama, as well as the right attitude and behavior models to be applied to a child in the exam process.
Educator Author Dr. Faruk Öndağ's seminar on "One Human Two Miracles" was attended by religious educators, teachers and parents working under the roof of the Xanthi Mufti.
The event was hosted by Gülcan Mümin, the project coordinator of “Hope for Women, Life for Society”, which is carried out in partnership with BTAYTD and Xanthi Mufti. In the event, BTAYTD President Hüseyin Baltacı, Councilors Union President Ahmet Kara, Deputy Hüseyin Zeybek and Xanthi Mufti Mustafa Trampa each made a greeting speech. The common emphasis in the speeches was the problems experienced in Western Thrace Turkish Minority education. The speakers emphasized the importance of all activities carried out within this framework and contributed to education, and stated that they would support such activities.
SEMINARS IN KOMOTINI WAS HELD AT GTGB
After the seminars held in Xanthi, Faruk Öndağ met with students, teachers, and parents in Komotini on Tuesday, January 24.
Coming to Komotini for the seminar program, educator-author Dr. Faruk Öndağ was first introduced to Consul General Aykut Ünal in his office and gave information about his work. Consul General Aykut Ünal also expressed his pleasure to meet him and thanked him for coming to Western Thrace and meeting with his kinsmen.
Dr. Faruk Öndağ later visited the Mufti of Komotini, İbrahim Şerif in his office. İbrahim Şerif, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority and Mufti of Komotini, briefed him on the struggles of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority and the work of the mufti. Deputy Mufti Fehim Ahmet was also present at the meeting. Deputy Mufti Fehim Ahmet also gave information about in-service training activities and other training activities within the body of the mufti.
Faruk Öndağ, who visited BTAYTD Headquarters after his visit to the Mufti, was welcomed by BTAYTD Vice President Ali Alioğlu. Having received information about the activities carried out within the association, Dr. Faruk Öndağ exchanged ideas with the educators present at the meeting.
Dr. Faruk Öndağ later joined the Komotini Turkish Youth Union where the seminars would be held.
At the events organized in Komotini Turkish Youth Union, Dr. Faruk Öndağ first met with the students at 16:00. Students filling the GTGB hall, Dr. He listened to Faruk Öndağ carefully.
After the seminar for students, a seminar titled "One Human Two Miracles" was held at 19:00 for teachers and parents. The event started with the greeting speeches of GTGB President Sedat Hasan and BTAYTD President Hüseyin Baltacı.
Later Dr. Faruk Öndağ took the floor. In the "Motivation" seminars, Instructor Öndağ discussed "exam anxiety and stress management, the effect of motivation and concentration on the exam process, the undeniable vital role of the teacher in this whole process". Talking about the exercises that will benefit the students while preparing for the study, Dr. Faruk Öndağ was followed with interest by the audience with the exemplary stories he told.
Öndağ said, “Teaching is the art of touching the heart, you cannot touch the heart of any child whose story we do not know”. Dr. Recalling İlber Oltaylı's saying, "Every man is as much a man as his teacher," he continued as follows: "There are three factors in the psychology of learning. One of them is motivation, and that is sacred. When a person is motivated, he concentrates. The second is prejudice, namely conditioning. Another is stress and anxiety. It's not all about the exam. The most important point here is that a person is healthy and has a good psychology. Man is a valuable being. That's why we say human. When we touch the heart of man, when we bring storms in his heart, the intelligence of man works great. People can make mistakes, bullshit and fail from time to time throughout their lives. These are normal. The important thing is to get up from where we fell and continue walking again. If we value people, we can touch their heart. When we can touch his heart, we get very good results.”
At the end of the event, Öndağ thanked those who contributed to this organization and the participants.
Teachers, parents, and kinsmen showed great interest in the event, Deputy Attaché Güven Bora from the Consulate General of Turkey in Komotini, Chairman of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board and Mufti of Komotini İbrahim Şerif, FEP Party Chairman Çiğdem Asafoğlu, FEP Party Deputy Chairman Bahri Belço, BTAYTD President Hüseyin. Baltacı, GTGB President Sedat Hasan, BTTOB President Aydın Ahmet, BAKEŞ President Hüseyin Bostancı, Western Thrace Mosques Religious Officials Association President Sadık Sadık, BİHLİMDER President Mehmet Emin Ahmet, Celal Bayar Minority Middle School and High School Committee Chairman Fuat Perende, İskeçe Minority Secondary School and High School Bilal Budur and representatives of other minority institutions and organizations attended as the representative of the Committee of the Council.