Miss you Arbil!
by
YAKUP ÇETİN*

Even though I did not announce their final grades for the academic semester -- whether they failed or passed my two courses -- they surprised me with an elegant present and a delightful cake. As a scholar, particularly as a Turkish scholar in a Kurdish-populated land, I was overwhelmingly pleased by their thankful, sincere and motivating feedback about my lectures. Also, I was deeply impressed and touched when they insistently invited me back for the next academic year; you cannot know how valuable these exchanges are for an instructor. Neither money nor maqam (status) can give you these moments of happiness.

When I was applauded by my dear students upon cutting the cake, I instantly remembered the sweet moments on the TV sometime ago when Turkish teachers abroad were praised by top Turkish celebrities, including the prime minister, for their selfless endeavors on several continents -- even in countries whose names I have never heard of. I was really thrilled by the sincere support when they were cheered by the Turkish public in the final of the 8th International Turkish Language Olympiads.

I remember the time very well, when almost two decades ago countless young Turkish idealists, better to say, free dialogue and peace activists, left their motherland with the intention of providing humanity with a breath of fresh air and to introduce the goodwill, benevolence and tolerance of the Turkish nation to the whole world. So far they have successfully served as bridges of peace, dialogue and friendship between different cultures, nations and beliefs in more than 120 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Australia. Thousands of schools and institutions all over the world run by enthusiastic Turkish teachers and administrators have become centers of philanthropy, education, science and culture in their respective countries through their great contributions and participation in national and international symposiums, conferences, scientific and social Olympiads as well as humanitarian and aid organizations. They have been trying their best to eradicate the negative image of Muslims created by some radical and terrorist groups whose doctrines contradict true Islam. Their scientific, social and cultural achievements worldwide have been the best reference to refute the common misconception that Islam is opposed to science, technology, peace, human rights and democracy.

For example, the presence of more than 12 Turkish K-12 schools and one university -- in different cities of northern Iraq such as Duhok, Arbil, Sulaymaniyah, Mosul, etc. -- has been willingly approved and supported by the Kurdistan Regional Government and public in northern Iraq, which is striving to develop close relations with Turkey at all levels. I was amazed when hundreds of Kurdish, Turkmen and Arab scholars and teachers from different parts of northern Iraq attended the first ever ELT Conference organized in a peaceful Kurdish land -- which I liken to a blooming flower -- whose southern neighbors die daily as a result of unpredictable and terrible terror attacks.

It really was an honor and pleasure to address the audience, along with my Turkish and British colleagues, on different ELT topics at Ishik University. For one complete day in April 2010, from morning to late afternoon in the sunny desert climate where the temperature hit almost 40 degrees Celsius, they all eagerly listened to the keynote-speakers and participated in concurrent sessions with great enthusiasm. Even though it was completely academic, their numbers definitely did not shrink throughout the program as happens with most ELT conferences elsewhere, where participants are promised sight-seeing tours, a concert, a banquet and more at the end of the convention.

I really find the presence of genuine Turkish businessmen, teachers and academics in northern Iraq, and in the rest of the world, very meaningful, essential and helpful for many reasons. I firmly believe that they have the bravery and heart to stand up to those fake Jihadists and Crusaders whose disguised goal is to promote hatred, racism and a clash of civilizations. All in all, my final word is this: Wherever you are, whoever you are, whatever you believe, just find them and join their circle of tolerance, peace and dialogue between cultures, religions and civilizations whose diameter stretches to unknown galaxies beyond this world.