The closing ceremony of the "Turkish Teaching Program for Syrian Teachers," jointly organized by Yunus Emre Institute and "the Syrian Turkmen Assembly, has been held.

During the program held at Yunus Emre Institute's headquarters in Ankara, Yunus Emre Institute President Prof. Dr. Şeref Ateş delivered a keynote speech, underlining the need for maintaining a peaceful language in the region. "You cannot build a civilization through war. It can be done only with a peaceful language and peace," he said.

Noting that the training program implemented was a model program, Ateş indicated that the resources and needed materials will be improved further.

Syrian Turkmen Assembly President Vecih Cuma also delivered a keynote speech, pointing out that the participating teachers are sticking to their homeland defying the risks to their lives and terrorist pressures. Cuma stressed that the people in the region are very eager to learn Turkish. "They are here to win this war through education," he said.

Maher El-Şibli, a teacher who participated in the training from El Bab, said: "We have learned many things in this training. We have learned new information on grammar and how to teach Turkish to children," he said. Noting that the seminars were quite efficient, El-Şibli stated that they received courses on Turkish linguistic skills, assessment and evaluation, exam preparation, material development, etc. Maher El-Şibli explained that he would return to El-Bab, where he would work as a teacher for the Ministry of National Education, teaching Turkish to the children aged 6-12 years.

Amine El-Osman, another Turkish teacher who attended the training, stated that there were few Turkish teachers in El-Bab. "Although I knew grammar very well, I did not know how to teach Turkish. We have learned many things in this program. The program was very useful. I would like to thank my teachers very much," she said.

Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Teaching and Turkology Director Prof. Dr. Yavuz Kartallıoğlu told Anadolu Agency that they provided a modern training for 56 teachers who were working as Turkish teachers for the Ministry of National Education in the regions which were cleansed of terrorism in Syria and they received information on how to teach Turkish based on knowledge and skills in compliance with Yunus Emre Institute's education and training standards Kartallıoğlu noted that these teachers will give Turkish training to approximately 1000 students in Azez, Jarabulus and Al-Rai in the first stage, adding that the participants were equipped with the skills to transfer knowledge to practice and their training will continue.

The ceremony was attended by Ministry of National Education Director General of Lifelong Learning Mehmet Nezir Gül and Deputy Director General of Higher Education Loans and Dormitories Institution Mustafa Özgün, and the Syrian teachers were given their certificates.

After a month of intensive training, 56 Syrian teachers will teach Turkish in the regions which were cleansed of terrorism in Syria.