Turkish Cultural Year

Breeze at the railing, Silk Road connecting hearts. Recently, the "Chang'an International Cultural Year - Turkey" cultural and economic exchange event, co-hosted by the Beijing Turkish Cultural Center Yunus Emre Institute and the Chang'an Club, was successfully held at the Chang'an Club. Distinguished guests from the Embassy of Türkiye in China, along with leaders from the tourism, culture, and business sectors, gathered alongside club members to bridge cultures and strengthen economic ties. Together, they embarked on a captivating journey spanning Europe and Asia, celebrating the diverse spirit of the Chang'an International Cultural Year.

Distinguished guests unite to launch a Eurasian exchange gala

At the outset of the event, the host warmly introduced the distinguished guests in attendance, including Turkish official representatives and cultural leaders: Ayoub Salloutch, Counselor and Senior Commercial Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in China; Director of the Beijing Turkish Cultural Center; Özlem Çopur, a registered Tulum painting artist with Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism; and the Deputy Defense Attaché from the embassy. Their presence set a solemn yet vibrant tone for the exchange.

Civil Dialogue: Decoding Turkey's Millennial Heritage

Professor Ayub Salotosh, Director of the Turkish Cultural Center in Beijing, opened with a keynote presentation exploring Turkey's unique appeal through three dimensions: geography, history, and civilization.

Spanning both Europe and Asia and surrounded by four seas, Turkey covers an area comparable to China's Shanxi Province yet boasts a diverse climate where you can swim in the south and ice skate in the northeast. As a key hub on the ancient Silk Road, this land nurtured 26 ancient civilizations, with legacies from Göbekli Tepe, the Hittite Empire, Ancient Greek city-states, and the Ottoman Empire shining side by side.

The professor highlighted that the Hittite Empire's language belongs to the same family as the Tocharian languages of Xinjiang, China. A replica of the world's earliest peace treaty between the Hittites and Egypt is still on display at the United Nations Headquarters. Istanbul, a capital for over a millennium, was praised by Napoleon: "If the world were one country, its capital would be Istanbul." This two-thousand-year friendship between civilizations grows even deeper through our shared historical roots.

Experience Intangible Cultural Heritage: Feel the Warmth of Turkish Art

The cultural experience segment brought the event to a thrilling climax, featuring two stunning UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage masterpieces:

Turkish Ebru

Artist Ms. Özlem Çopur demonstrates this ancient craft dating back to the 14th century: mixing plant powders with water as a base, using natural mineral pigments and ox gall to create soft color gradients, and employing horsehair brushes mounted on rose stems to draw unique patterns on the water's surface. Gently pressing paper onto the water transfers the design, creating one-of-a-kind artworks that allow guests to experience the magic of "painting on water" in an immersive way.

Turkish Coffee

As the birthplace of global coffee culture, Turkish coffee was transformed by Turks from a medicinal drink into a social beverage, giving rise to the world's first café culture. Prepared on-site with sand at a constant temperature and slow-cooked using globally finest hand-ground coffee powder, it yields a rich, velvety foam. The proverb "I drank your coffee; I thought of you for forty years," paired with engaging explanations of coffee reading and engagement traditions, allows guests to discover the essence of Turkish life through its aromatic depth.

Trade and Economic Outlook: Unlock New Opportunities for China-Turkey Cooperation

Mr. Atakan ÖZDEMİR, Chief Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in China, delivers a major economic and trade presentation to guide cooperation between Chinese and Turkish enterprises.

By 2025, bilateral trade between China and Turkey exceeded 530 billion USD. Turkey can offer more competitive prices and higher-quality supply in 1781 product categories. Leveraging its strategic position as a Eurasian hub and its customs union with the EU, Turkey serves as an ideal gateway for Chinese companies entering European, Middle Eastern, and African markets.

The counselor highlighted Turkey's key industries: Europe's third-largest automobile manufacturer, the world's leading exporter of drones, and Europe's largest home appliance producer. Significant collaboration opportunities exist in chemicals, machinery, energy, and agro-food sectors. Currently, only 1419 Chinese enterprises have established operations in Turkey; compared to the 10,000+ in the UAE (1.55), there is vast potential for bilateral investment cooperation.

Entertainment and music to capture meaningful moments.

As the event drew to a close, Turkish international students delivered a captivating folk dance and music performance. With lively melodies and energetic steps, they vividly showcased Turkey's rich cultural heritage, bringing the event to a perfect conclusion.

As a flagship event of the "Chang'an International Cultural Year - Turkey," this exchange showcased everything from millennia-old civilizations to intangible cultural heritage, business opportunities, and people-to-people connections. It enabled Chang'an Club members to fully experience Turkey's rich culture and commercial potential while building an efficient, practical platform for China-Turkey cultural exchange and economic cooperation, adding significant color to the Chang'an International Cultural Year. Moving forward, the Chang'an Club will continue to center its efforts on the "Chang'an International Cultural Year" as a core platform, gathering global premium resources to host more distinctive international events. This will help members broaden their global horizons, connect with worldwide business opportunities, and embrace diverse cultural exchanges—ensuring the enduring appeal of the Chang'an International Cultural Year continues to shine.