Turkey: Int'l students compete in football tournament

By Durmus Genc

MUGLA, Turkey (AA) - Hundreds of international students have participated in an amateur football tournament held in the southwest Turkish province of Mugla, one of the organizers of the event said Thursday.

More than 1,000 students in 14 teams competed in the 11th edition of the annual tournament held by Turkey's state-run dormitory authority and the Federation of International Student Associations (UDEF).

Turkey hosts 115,000 international students from 120 countries, according to UDEF.

The teams were made up of students from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Palestine, Kosovo, Guinea, Mali, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Mauritania, Syria, Yemen, and Turkey.

"We come together with international students in many social activities both in Turkey and abroad as we see them as our peace envoys," said UDEF representative Emir Aras.

"I love Turkey and the Turkish people. They are so hospitable," said Alpha Oumar Diallo from team Burkina Faso.

"We are so happy here in Mugla as foreigners. We feel like we are in heaven. I have never heard Burkina Faso before, but thanks to this tournament now I know and love it. We have met lots of students from many countries in Africa and the other parts of the world," said Tugay Mazreku from Kosovo.