Turkic-speaking countries to establish media association

By Mehmet Yilmaz

BUDAPEST (AA) - The head of Turkey's Radio and Television Supreme Council on Monday said a media association would be established by Turkic-speaking countries and Turkish states.

Ebubekir Sahin made his comments in the Hungarian capital Budapest, where he attended a workshop organized by the council and Turkey's culture foundation Yunus Emre Institute on media literacy in the digital age and the Turkish language.

The Turkic Council changed its name to the Organization of the Turkic States and Hungary is an observer state of this entity, Sahin noted, saying the decision to establish the Turkic Broadcasting Regulatory Authorities Forum was taken on Nov. 17 during the Istanbul summit and work on it was underway at full pace.

"With the primary goal of popularizing our beautiful Turkish (language), we seek to establish an important partnership with sister countries with whom we share a common culture and history," he said.

"I am quite sure that this international platform to be founded among Turkic-speaking countries will further strengthen our nations' unity," he said.

Seref Ates, the head of Yunus Emre Institute, said Hungarians' will to establish further connections with Turkey and their interest in the Turkish language have been growing lately.

Ates underlined that the workshop included presentations, scientific panels, conferences, and more, stressing that it had been pretty fruitful as many Turks and Hungarians participated in the event.

He also noted that the institute had a well-built infrastructure not only in Budapest but also in several other countries and the academics coming from Turkey have always received positive feedback in Hungary.

* Writing by Ali Murat Alhas.