The opening of the Bağlar Culture and Thought Days, organized by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) within the scope of the Balkans Literature Bus program, was held in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia.
Türkiye’s Ambassador to Skopje Alper Aktaş, YTB Vice President Murat Kazancı, representatives of Turkish institutions and organizations in the country, officials from local organizations, writers and literature lovers attended the ceremony held in a hotel in the city.
In his speech here, Ambassador Aktaş said that they should seek an answer to the question of who the literary figure is, and that the literary figure is “the person who knocks on the door”.
Aktaş said, “Sometimes a writer gets on a bus and goes on a journey. He travels to all four corners of our heartland, but he is the one who knocks on the door. He enters houses. Sometimes he writes a poem, and sometimes he becomes the writer, editor, and poet contributing to a publishing think tank called Bağlar. Sometimes he trembles in front of us with his excitement, sometimes he moves us with that beautiful voice. But he always knocks on the door.” he said.
“Skopje has always been one of the centers where literature is experienced very dynamically”
Kazancı also stated that they will start the program series from Skopje and continue with Sarajevo, Novi Pazar and Prizren.
Stating that Skopje has always been one of the centers where literature and culture are experienced very dynamically, Kazancı said, “It has been like this throughout history. Cultural production and literary production started here when the Turks first stepped here. Very important writers and poets who grew up here made very important contributions to Turkish culture and literature in many different centers, especially Istanbul, during the Ottoman period. They created hundreds of works.” he said.
Providing information about Bağlar Magazine, Kazancı said that the magazine, which started publishing in 2022, is a medium that is entirely produced by young writers and poets from across the Balkans, in North Macedonia and in Skopje. He stated that he had transformed.
The Skopje leg of the Balkans Literature Bus program will end tomorrow with panels on various topics.
Turkish literature in the Balkans, common cultural heritage and current issues of the literary world will be discussed by approximately 30 writers from Türkiye and local writers.
Within the scope of the program to be held between 7-14 November, events will also be held in Sarajevo, Novi Pazar and Prizren.
