The Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Cultural Center in Tripoli held a graduation ceremony for seven students who completed their A1-level Turkish course. New students who have just begun learning Turkish also attended the ceremony, bringing them together with the graduates.
Ahmet Yusuf Özdemir, the Tripoli coordinator of the Yunus Emre Institute, said the center had been operating in Tripoli for more than a year and had graduated its first students from its Turkish courses.
Özdemir said certificates were presented to the seven students who completed the A1 course. He said a significant number of the students were interested in Türkiye and noted that learning Turkish helped them maintain that interest.
Around 40 enrolled in new courses
The number of registrations for the center's new-term Turkish courses reached approximately 40. Özdemir said they attached importance to Turkish education alongside cultural and artistic activities, adding that the new courses had attracted greater interest than the previous term.
Abdullah Ayvalı, the education coordinator at the Yunus Emre Institute Tripoli Turkish Cultural Center, said the students who enrolled were already familiar with Turkish culture. Ayvalı said the students would receive instruction at A1 and A2 levels, adding that those who complete the first level would continue with the A2 course and that they aimed to help students progress to advanced levels.
Turkish learners aim to study in Türkiye
Abdussalam Amir, a first-year student at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tripoli, said completing the A1 level made him happy. Amir said he loved Türkiye and the Turkish language and expressed his desire to pursue a master's degree and doctorate in Türkiye after completing his studies in aeronautical engineering.
Amir said Turkish lessons had seemed difficult at first but that he gradually became accustomed to them. He said he aimed to complete all the levels and improve his Turkish to a good standard.
Esra Muhammed, a student at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Tripoli, said she had studied Turkish online for a while before starting the course at the Yunus Emre Institute. Muhammed said she wanted to pursue a master's degree in Türkiye and that she had watched many Turkish television series while learning the language and enjoyed the lessons.
Muhammed said shared cultural elements dating back to the Ottoman period strengthened the closeness between the two communities. She said that after learning Turkish, she felt closer to Türkiye.
