President Erdoğan: Türkiye is now a global player, even if some have yet to realize it

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye has emerged as a global player, emphasizing that the country has entered a new league not only in defense, diplomacy, tourism and foreign trade, but also in international education.

“Although those who view the world and Türkiye through the eyes of others may still fail to recognize it, our country is now a global player. We are now in a new league not only in the defense industry, diplomacy, tourism and foreign trade, but also in terms of our international education vision,” Erdoğan said.

President Erdoğan made the remarks during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Türkiye Maarif Foundation at the Presidential National Library in Beştepe, Ankara.

Beginning his speech by extending his sympathies to those affected by heavy rainfall, flooding and flash floods in Antalya and Istanbul, Erdoğan offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

He said all state institutions, particularly the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), were working in coordination to respond to the situation.

“It appears that heavy rainfall will continue in different parts of our country today and tomorrow. We urge our citizens to carefully follow the warnings issued by official authorities to prevent further difficulties,” he said.

Türkiye Maarif Foundation operates in 66 countries across six continents

Thanking international guests and young participants attending the anniversary program, Erdoğan expressed hope that the foundation’s 10th anniversary would bring benefits to Türkiye, its people, the wider community of nations with which it shares historical and cultural ties, and humanity.

He highlighted the foundation’s role in bringing Türkiye’s educational vision to the international stage over the past decade.

“Thank God, our Türkiye Maarif Foundation, which embarked on its journey with ambitious goals 10 years ago, now operates in 66 countries across six continents,” Erdoğan said.

“Today, I once again congratulate our foundation, which provides high-quality education to more than 75,000 students at 611 institutions worldwide. Undoubtedly, this achievement over the past decade is a source of pride for all of us.”

“What truly matters is the contribution these children make to their countries’ futures”

Erdoğan stressed that the foundation’s achievements could not be measured solely through statistics.

“Our real success lies in the human stories behind these numbers. What matters most to us is the value we add to the lives of children studying at Maarif Foundation schools,” he said.

“What truly matters is the contribution these children, entrusted to our care, make to the futures of their own countries as virtuous, qualified individuals with vision and a sense of mission.”

The president described international education as a long-term commitment rather than a short-term undertaking.

“From Asia to Africa, from the Balkans to the Caucasus, our Maarif Foundation offers new opportunities to children and young people living in different parts of the world,” he said.

“It equips them with knowledge, prepares them for life in every respect and enables them to establish strong and sincere ties with different cultures.”

Erdoğan said the foundation was sharing Türkiye‘s educational experience across continents through its schools, dormitories, universities, research centers and educational institutions.

“I sincerely believe that the young people studying in Maarif classrooms today will soon serve their countries successfully in every field and help shape their nations’ futures,” he said.

He welcomed the anniversary program’s theme, “10 Years of Building the Future,” describing it as particularly appropriate.

International student population in Türkiye approaches 380,000

Erdoğan said Türkiye had undergone major transformations in education over the past 24 years, including improvements in educational infrastructure, broader access to schooling, greater equality of opportunity and stronger institutional capacity.

“According to the latest PISA 2025 results, we became the country that achieved the greatest increase in scores among OECD countries in science, mathematics and reading,” he said.

He also pointed to growing international interest in Turkish universities.

“The number of international students, which stood at around 48,000 ten years ago, has approached 380,000 this year,” Erdoğan said.

The president noted that it had become increasingly common to encounter doctors, politicians, businesspeople, bureaucrats, teachers, artists and academics educated in Türkiye working in countries around the world.

He described Türkiye‘s progress in international education as a major achievement.

Erdoğan said Türkiye had overcome longstanding challenges in its education system and transformed itself into an international destination for students.

“For years, this country forced its own children to go abroad because of their clothing, beliefs or political views,” he said.

“Today, we have become a country that not only provides first-class education to its own children but also attracts tens of thousands of students from abroad every year.”

He described this transformation as one of the clearest symbols of Türkiye‘s progress in education.

“What is even more encouraging is that this vision is now being carried to different corners of the world through our Türkiye Maarif Foundation,” he said.

Erdoğan noted that Türkiye currently provides education to more than 24 million students, from preschool through higher education, while sharing its international educational capacity with friendly and brotherly nations through institutions such as the Maarif Foundation.

“Frankly speaking, this is an achievement that could not even have been imagined 25 years ago,” he said.

“Those who target our Maarif Foundation may not understand what this means. But we know very well what this vision represents.”

He continued:

“Although those who view the world and Türkiye through the eyes of others may still fail to recognize it, our country is now a global player.

“We are now in a new league not only in the defense industry, diplomacy, tourism and foreign trade, but also in terms of our international education vision.

“God willing, with your efforts, we will continue to rise in this league.”

“We are a nation with no shameful history of colonialism”

Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye‘s international educational and cultural activities, carried out through the Türkiye Maarif Foundation and the Yunus Emre Institute, were not based on a one-sided approach.

He said every country possessed its own history, language, culture and educational traditions.

“I always say this: We are a nation with no shameful history of colonialism,” Erdoğan said.

“At one point, we ruled over an area covering 24 million square kilometers. Today, more than 45 countries exist on territories once directly governed by our ancestors.”

He argued that communities under Ottoman rule had preserved their identities because their languages, cultures and traditions were respected.

“Our ancestors did not interfere with people’s languages, cultures or customs, and therefore those communities preserved their identities,” he said.

“However, societies that fell into the clutches of Western imperialists suffered immense pain and were subjected to cultural genocide.”

Erdoğan criticized countries that, in his view, lecture Türkiye about pluralism and respect for diversity while failing to confront their own colonial histories.

“In territories once governed by countries that now speak to us about pluralism and respect for differences, hundreds of local languages disappeared,” he said.

“Cultural traces were destroyed, collective memory was erased, and customs that had survived among local populations for centuries became museum artifacts.”

He said many representatives of the Maarif Foundation had likely witnessed the consequences of these historical experiences in the countries where they worked.

Referring to verse 22 of Surah Ar-Rum in the Quran, Erdoğan said Türkiye regarded differences in language and skin color as manifestations of God’s infinite power in creation.

“Therefore, we do not concern ourselves with anyone’s language, culture, skin color, ethnic origin, disposition or religious sect,” he said.

“We say, ‘We love the created for the sake of the Creator.’ We do not discriminate between people or look upon anyone with prejudice.”

Erdoğan added that Maarif schools respected the educational legislation, curricula and cultural characteristics of their host countries.

He stressed that Türkiye viewed the Turkish language not as a replacement for other languages but as a means of opening new doors and broadening horizons.

“We secured the closure of FETÖ-linked schools in more than 50 countries”

Erdoğan said one of the primary objectives behind the establishment of the Türkiye Maarif Foundation was to place Türkiye’s overseas educational activities under a strong, reliable and institutional framework.

He added that addressing problems caused by the international educational network of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), as designated by Türkiye, was among the foundation’s responsibilities.

Erdoğan accused the organization of using schools established in various countries over many years to expand its network, recruit members, generate financial resources and gain international influence.

“This network of betrayal attempted to carry out all these activities while creating the impression that it was acting on behalf of Türkiye,” he said.

“They benefited from Türkiye and exploited the goodwill and generosity of our nation, but they served global imperialism and acted as servants of Zionism.”

The president said Türkiye intensified its campaign against FETÖ following the July 15 coup attempt.

“After July 15, we accelerated our comprehensive fight against FETÖ,” he said.

“While dismantling the organization’s structures within our country, we also focused on eliminating its centers of subversion abroad, which operated under the guise of educational institutions.”

Erdoğan said diplomatic and institutional efforts had resulted in the full or partial closure of FETÖ-linked schools in more than 50 countries.

“Thanks to the intensive efforts of our Foreign Ministry, the Maarif Foundation and other institutions, we secured the complete or partial closure of FETÖ-linked schools in more than 50 countries,” he said.

He highlighted the foundation’s role in taking over educational institutions previously affiliated with the organization.

“Our Türkiye Maarif Foundation assumed significant responsibilities in taking over educational institutions belonging to FETÖ,” he said.

“We exercised the utmost care to ensure that students attending these schools were not victimized and that their education continued without interruption.”

Erdoğan said the combined efforts of Turkish institutions had produced significant progress within a relatively short period.

“In the past, FETÖ exploited Türkiye’s image and reputation in different parts of the world as a shield of legitimacy for its dark and sinister ambitions,” he said.

“Today, the organization has virtually disappeared from many countries.”

He argued that new revelations stemming from internal conflicts of interest within the organization were helping foreign governments better understand its activities.

“Our foreign friends are also beginning to see the true face of this deceptive organization,” Erdoğan said.

“They will become even more miserable and desperate in the future. God willing, they will pay the price for their betrayal of this nation and country, both in this world and before the Supreme Divine Court.”

Erdoğan concluded by emphasizing that Türkiye would continue pursuing the organization through legal and democratic means.

“We will not stop pursuing them within the framework of law and democracy,” he said.