First Lady Emine Erdoğan, wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, sent a video message to Leader Wives 2nd  Summit with the theme "Ukraine and the World:   The Future We Build Together", held in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on the initiative of Olena Zelenska, the wife of President of Ukraine Volodimir Zelensky.

Emphasizing that Turkey was working to stop the war between Ukraine and Russia by using all the tools of diplomacy at the highest level, First Lady Erdoğan said, "I believe that resurrecting what the war has destroyed and collaborating as the whole world will be the strongest shield against new wars." 

Sending the respect and love of the Turkish people to the participants, First Lady Erdoğan expressed her gratitude to Olena for her invitation to the summit, which she believed was a great contribution to peace and the peace of humanity.

"WE STARTED TURKISH COURSES WITH YUNUS EMRE INSTITUTE FOR 200 UKRAINIAN CHILDREN IN OUR COUNTRY"

Pointing out that the war in Ukraine is now in its fifth month, First Lady Erdoğan stated that tens of thousands of people lost their lives in the intervening period. Expressing that millions are from their homes and countries Erdoğan said:

“Five million of the people displaced by this war are children. I started an initiative based on a letter sent by my dear friend Olena. We are hosting approximately 1,300 people, victims of war, consisting of Ukrainian orphan children and their companions in our country. We provide our children with psychological support and organize cultural activities to reduce the effects of the trauma they experience. With our Yunus Emre Institute, we started Turkish courses for approximately 1,200 Ukrainian orphan children in our country. By integrating Ukrainian lecturers into face-to-face and online courses, we enable them to teach and support them in this difficult process. Our Institute has prepared a "Basic Turkish Book for Children". Ukrainian Turkologists took roles as writers, translators, and editors in these publications. This book is also the first Turkish-Ukrainian teaching book in the world prepared for children. In addition, we completed the printing of the famous Ukrainian writer Lesya Ukrainka's fairy tale titled “Difficulties Teach” and we delivered it to the Ankara Embassy of Ukraine."

Reminding that they hosted Ukrainian children during the celebrations of national holidays, First Lady Erdoğan stated that a 3-day event themed "Science, Culture, Art" would be organized for them in the coming days.

I INVITE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF UKRAINE

Pointing out that Turkey continues to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine and to Ukrainians seeking refuge in neighboring countries, First Lady Erdoğan stated that so far 100 truckloads of aid have been delivered to Ukraine and Moldova. Emine Erdogan said in her message:

"The number of refugees, which was 89.3 million in 2021, unfortunately, exceeded 100 million with the Ukraine War. While war affects everyone, it, unfortunately, affects women and children disproportionately. They lack basic needs such as shelter, security, food, health, and education. Their lives suffer hard-to-repair wounds. We must understand this fact very well that if there is a war somewhere in the world, humanity loses blood and is dragged to a disastrous end. Because wars never stay within the borders where they are waged. Currently, the war in Ukraine causes the whole world to be dragged into an economic and political depression. In order to realize the ideal we call world peace, we, as the international community, need to oppose all atrocities with equal reflexes. Because all the children of the world are the true children of humanity, all people are equal members of the human family. Therefore, I invite everyone to take a role in the reconstruction of Ukraine.

“LET'S COLLABORATE TO SUPPORT ALL WOMEN AND CHILDREN VICTIMS OF WAR”

Let's collaborate to support all women and children who are victims of war, regardless of race, language, or religion. As Turkey, we use all the tools of diplomacy at the highest level and work to stop this war. I believe that resurrecting what the war has destroyed and collaborating as the whole world will be the strongest shield in front of new wars. I sincerely hope that the Leader Wives Summit will once again draw attention to the tragedy in Ukraine and that these bad days will be left behind as soon as possible."

YUNUS EMRE INSTITUTE ORGANIZES ACTIVITIES FOR UKRAINIAN CHILDREN

Due to the war that started in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, many Ukrainians had to leave their country and migrated to different countries, including Turkey. Many Ukrainians, especially orphans brought from the children's homes in Ukraine and placed in hotels in Antalya with the initiative of Emine Erdoğan and Olena Zelenska, and members of related peoples (Crimean Tatars, Meskhetian Turks) took refuge in our country. Our institute continues to work on organizing different activities and teaching Turkish to Ukrainian orphans settled in hotels in Antalya and Crimean Tatars in Eskişehir.

TURKISH TEACHING ACTIVITIES AND COURSES CONDUCTED IN ANTALYA 

With the initiative of Emine Erdoğan and Olena Zelenska, Turkish courses were launched on May 21, 2022, for approximately 1,200 children brought from children's hostels in Ukraine and placed in hotels in Antalya, Turkey. In these courses, Ukrainian Turkologists, who had to leave their country and come to Antalya due to the war, work as lecturers. In addition to children, groups were opened for trainers accompanying children in the courses. In the courses, each child was given a Turkish teaching set and other teaching materials suitable for their level.

TURKISH COURSES ORGANIZED IN ESKISEHIR 

Turkish courses are held for 100 of our Crimean Tatar cognates, who came from Ukraine and settled in Eskişehir due to the war, who are members of the Crimean Family Association. The courses were held by our Ukrainian Turkologist lecturer at the KYK dormitories where the guests stay.

We provide educational material support for the courses for Meskhetian Turks who stay in the same dormitory as our Crimean Tatar compatriots. In this context, 60 people learn Turkish.

FREE ONLINE TURKISH COURSES FOR UKRAINIAN ADULTS 

Free online Turkish courses organized by Yunus Emre Institute for Ukrainians started training on June 16, 2022. Currently, 1,300 Ukrainians learn Turkish for free in these courses.

UKRAINIAN TURKOLOGISTS CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED 

Ukrainian Turkologists, who had to settle in Turkey due to the war, are integrated into our Institute's face-to-face and online Turkish courses as lecturers and supported during the difficult process they go through. In this way, Turkologists are getting better financially and have the opportunity to continue their profession. In addition, the participation of Ukrainian Turkologists is ensured in publications such as "Basic Turkish Book for Children" prepared by our Institute, and Turkologists take part in these publications as writers, translators, redactors, and editors. Thanks to these studies, 15 Ukrainian Turkologists are supported by our Institute.

Within the framework of these studies carried out by Yunus Emre Institute, Turkish has been taught to 3,500 Ukrainians to date. 

APRIL 23 NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND CHILDREN’S DAY EVENT 

On the initiative of Emine Erdoğan and Olena Zelenska, our Institute organized the April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day event for approximately one thousand children brought to Turkey from orphanages in Ukraine and placed in hotels in Manavgat and Kemer. Ukraine's Consul General to Antalya Emir Rustamov and Yunus Emre Institute, Ministry of Family and Social Services, and Red Crescent officials attended the opening of the event, which was held in two different hotels. Within the scope of the event, children had fun with different playgrounds, animation shows, and various games such as musical chairs, tug of war, camel dwarf, hanging ratches.

MAY 19 COMMEMORATION OF ATATÜRK, YOUTH AND SPORTS DAY EVENT 

Under the coordination of the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, activities were by Yunus Emre Institute for two days for 1,200 Ukrainian children trying to forget the scars of war in Antalya as part of the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.

Some of the Ukrainian children had fun at a hotel in Beldibi, Kemer, while the other group had a good time at the events held at a hotel in the Side District of Manavgat. Within the scope of the activities, children had the opportunity to do activities such as clay, martial arts, painting, a three-dimensional tour of Turkey, and shooting arrows.

Emphasizing the importance of world peace with the paintings they made with their painted hands, children who were victims of war voluntarily collected garbage on the Antalya coast to support environmental awareness.

Children who were victims of war had a lot of fun at the event, where various animation shows were played, and Turkish and Ukrainian music were played.

ONGOING AND PLANNED EVENTS 

1. Three-Day Event Program on "Science-Culture-Art"   

It is planned to organize a three-day event program for Ukrainian children under the auspices of Emine Erdoğan.  The date of the event will be determined according to the incoming instruction. Details of the event program are below.

2. Book Printing Studies for Ukrainian Children 

"Basic Turkish for Children" book was prepared in Turkish and Ukrainian by Yunus Emre Institute specifically for Ukrainian children. With this feature, this book is also the first Turkish-Ukrainian teaching book in the world prepared for children. With this book, it is aimed that Ukrainian children to learn Turkish quickly and facilitate their adaptation to Turkey. This book was prepared with the participation of Ukrainian Turkologists. It is planned to deliver this book to Ukrainian children in every city of Turkey, especially children in Antalya.

In addition, upon the request of the Ukrainian Embassy in Ankara, one thousand copies of the famous Ukrainian writer Lesya Ukrainka's fairy tale "Difficulties Teach" were printed and delivered to the Ukrainian Embassy to be distributed to children. Addedly, it is planned to print 1,500 copies of two Ukrainian fairy tale books, "The Tale of the Ant Mushroom" and "Town Musicians of Bremen", and to distribute them to Ukrainian children together with the "Basic Turkish for Children" book prepared by our Institute.

3. Song Recording Video Clip Project with Crimean Tatar Children 

Like all segments of the Ukrainian society, the cognate Crimean Tatars were greatly affected by the war that took place in Ukraine. Crimean Tatars evacuated from the war zone are hosted in our cities such as Eskişehir, Edirne, and Bursa. Almost all of the evacuated Crimean Tatars are women and children. Crimean Tatars belonging to the "Crimean Family", the most important NGO of the Crimean Tatars in Ukraine, with whom we cooperate intensively in Kyiv, were settled in Eskişehir. For now, there are 80 Crimean Tatars, 50 of whom are children.

Children of the “Crimean Family” organization operating in the field of education and culture perform Crimean folk songs and show examples of Crimean folk dances.

In this framework, it is envisaged that children members of the Crimean Family, together with the artist Arslanbek Sultanbekov, will record 4 songs in Turkish, Crimean Tatar, and Ukrainian in the studios of our Institute and shoot video clips for these songs. During the recording of the songs, there will be 10 Turkish artists working with Crimean Tatar children.

The activity, which started on June 14, is expected to be carried out in 2 stages. In the project, music recordings of the songs will be performed by 9 artists, and then the music recordings and video clips of the songs will be completed by the Crimean Tatar children.