President Erdogan marks Turkish Language Day, calls for protecting, enriching Turkish

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked Turkish Language Day, stressing the importance of protecting and enriching the Turkish language and passing it on to future generations, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said on Saturday.

“Turkish is not merely a means of communication for our nation, but also the bearer of our history, culture, civilizational heritage and collective memory,” Erdogan said in a message shared by Türkiye’s Communications Directorate on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

He said Turkish has been enriched over centuries through interaction with different nations and geographies and has expressed the nation’s thoughts and emotions across fields ranging from poetry and literature to science and art.

“Our duty on the occasion of Sept. 26 Turkish Language Day is to protect Turkish as a legacy entrusted to us from the past, enrich it and pass it on to future generations in the strongest possible way,” Erdogan said.

He emphasized the importance of promoting the “correct, beautiful and careful” use of Turkish and strengthening children’s and young people’s appreciation of the language.

“Let us not forget that a nation that protects its language also protects its history and its future,” he added.