Turkish Olympics to celebrate 10th year

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

“Students from different parts of the world will meet to speak Turkish during the event. DHA photo

The International Turkish Association (TÜRKÇEDER) will hold the 10th annual Turkish Olympics between May 30 and June 14.

A total of 1500 students from 135 countries will participate. Forty-one different programs, held in different cities, will take place as part of the Olympics, TÜRKÇEDER President Ali Ursavaş said, speaking at a press conference held on the roof of Sapphire 360. The event’s finale will be held in Istanbul. Individual Olympic events will take place before audiences on 65 different stages. The motto for this year’s Turkish Olympics is “People are hand in hand, festival becomes a festival.”

Participants in the Turkish Olympics compete in the categories of songs, poems, folkloric games and speech, Ursavaş said. There festival includes 20 different competitions. “The competitions will be judged by scientists and artists,” he said, adding that the awards will be given out by government representatives.

The Turkish Olympics is very important for the way that it represents Turkey’s image in foreign countries, Ursavaş said.

The media coordinator for the event, Halit Soylu, shared information about the events included in the Turkish Olympics. There will be numerous students from five continents coming to Turkey to compete in the Olympics, he said, noting that the festival will also host exclusive events to celebrate its 10th year.

Art exhibitions associated with the Olympics will take place at the Istanbul Atatürk, Ankara Esenboğa and İzmir Adnan Menderes airports, Soylu said. The Taksim metro station in Istanbul will also host a photography exhibition titled “Turkish Olympics Exhibition.”

A cultural festival accompanying the Turkish Olympics will take place June 1-3. The closing ceremony for the event will be held at the Türk Telekom Arena on June 14.