Journalists from Europe held the Turkish Media Workshop in Skopje

AVRUPA AGENCY (AVA) – London/Skopje- SPECIAL NEWS-Journalists from Europe held the Turkish Media Workshop in Skopje.Meeting in the Historical Capital of Skopje.The media vision and future of the European Turkish diaspora were discussed at the event. The European Turkish Media Workshop was held in Skopje, the historical capital of North Macedonia, between April 24-27, 2025. The workshop, organized by the Macedonian Ufuk Association and the TRNC Turkish Union Solidarity Association, was held on Saturday, April 26 at the Skopje Hotel Marriott with broad participation. The workshop had a special meaning as it was held in Skopje, a city that left its mark on the intellectual world of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. At the end of the organization, it was decided that the next workshop would be held in a Balkan country.

Journalists from 11 Countries Were in Skopje

In addition to North Macedonia, journalists from the TRNC, Germany, England, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Romania and Kosovo attended the European Turkish Media Workshop.

Participants included Prof. Dr. Güven Arıklı and Emir Bulut from the TRNC, Ali Paşa Akbaş from Germany, Vatan Öz from the UK, Levent Karaağaç from Switzerland, Özcan Özbay from the Netherlands, Adil Elmas and Ozan Söyler from Austria, Ertan Öz from Belgium, Şenay Osman from North Macedonia and İbrahim Arslan from Kosovo. The workshop was presented by Ertan Öz from Belgium.

Featured Topics in the Workshop

The meeting discussed the fundamental problems facing the Turkish media in Europe:

• Can the Turkish community in Europe preserve its identity in the digital age?
• How should the media language evolve in the face of rising racism and Islamophobia?

• Is there a gap between traditional Turkish media and the younger generations?

• Are social media influencers overshadowing journalism?

• How open is diaspora media to multilingual broadcasting?

• Should the media only provide information in times of crisis, or should it also unite society?

At the end of the workshop, a joint declaration was issued regarding the future of European Turkish Media: "We are present in every corner of Europe, as we are all over the world. We are in Skopje, we will continue to exist in Europe."

"From Difficulties to Today": Enes İbrahim's Emotional Speech

Enes İbrahim, former MP of the North Macedonian Parliament and Chairman of the Turkish Movement Party, hosted the workshop and brought emotional moments to life by recounting the difficult media struggle of his youth. "17-18 years ago, there was almost no Turkish media. There was everything from censorship, oppression, lack of human resources. Despite these difficulties, we published 37 issues of our 'Ufuk' magazine. It is a great pride to see where we have come today." he said. İbrahim also emphasized that the Turkish community in Macedonia struggles to exist in the Balkans with the love of Turkey: "The Turkish flag and Turkishness are indispensable to us. We are here to stay and we will continue to contribute."

Şenay Osman: "We are Integrating with European Turks"
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Şenay Osman, President of the North Macedonia Ufuk Association, drew attention to the historical importance of this meeting:
"We have taken an important step towards integration with European Turks. The distances may be long, but our hearts are one."

Prof. Dr. Güven Arıklı: "North Macedonia is My Third Homeland"
The TRNC Turkish Union Solidarity Association President, Prof. Dr. Güven Arıklı touched on the importance of the Turkish presence in North Macedonia:
"Wherever our friends are, the Turkish consciousness is kept alive. It is hopeful to see that this consciousness continues."

What did the journalists participating from Europe say?

Vatan Öz (England): "We have established a quarter-century media tradition in Europe. Today we are in Skopje, tomorrow we will be in another Turkish city." I was very impressed to see journalists from different countries speaking the same language and sharing the same sensitivities. We are like a family.""

Ali Paşa Akbaş (Germany): ""We need more young journalists in Germany for the Turkish media to have a more professional structure. Young people need to be directed to this sector with training programs and media schools."

Levent Karaağaç (Switzerland): "In order for the voice of the European Turkish media to be heard more strongly, we should make more joint publications and reach media content to wider audiences via digital platforms."

Özcan Özbay (Netherlands): "This workshop was a perfect opportunity to talk about the challenges, opportunities and future goals faced by Turkish journalists in Europe. Coming together in Skopje brought us closer and strengthened us."

Traces of Atatürk Also Remembered at the Workshop

Throughout the workshop, it was frequently reminded that North Macedonia was a geography that hosted Atatürk's childhood and youth. Historical ties such as the birthplace of Atatürk's father Ali Rıza Efendi and the Manastır Military High School

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