University students from all around the world came together in Istanbul to showcase their cultures at the InterYouth Festival. Held in celebration of May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, the festival featured traditional foods, outfits, and dances, offering a vibrant cultural experience. The event, organized for the third time by Istinye University, welcomed students from 80 countries and hosted booths from 30 different nations. The goal was to foster a global network of solidarity among youth.
“We aim to turn differences into a source of unity”
Speaking about the event, Istinye University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Peyami Çelikcan stated:
“We organize this festival every year to allow our international students from over 80 countries to share their traditions, cultures, and values with both Turkish students and other international peers. We want to show that differences are not a source of conflict but a source of unity. Through this event, we create meaningful awareness by emphasizing that diversity can be a tool for peace and a source of richness. Students get the chance to learn about each other’s cultural worlds, build friendships, and create a more colorful world.”
Prof. Dr. Çelikcan added:
“The festival is hosted by our Turkish students, and as you can see, the Turkish booth occupies a central and prominent space. This year, our students organized a traditional costume parade with wide participation, as well as various workshops in dance and arts. We’ve given special focus to traditional Turkish arts to introduce them to international students. Through music, arts, and workshops, students experience a wide range of cultural traditions. We celebrate the festival every May, and with each year, we aim to make it more vibrant, enthusiastic, and fun.”
“We will expand the festival with sports and dance competitions”
Festival Coordinator and Head of the Department of Foreign Languages at Istinye University, Lecturer Özlem Salı, shared:
“We hold this festival every May with our international students and staff to celebrate cultural diversity. Around 30 countries are represented each year through traditional clothing, food, music, and dance. The festival includes dance performances, parades, and concerts. At the center is the Turkey booth, one of the most carefully prepared areas. We also offer Turkish language education to our foreign students, allowing them to learn both the language and culture.”
She also announced plans for the future:
“From next year, we plan to extend the festival to two or three days. We’ll send invitations to universities worldwide to participate in a sports tournament called the ‘InterYouth Cup’ and organize a dance competition featuring performers from various countries. This way, the festival will grow even more and include other universities across Turkey.”
Voices from the Festival
Ayla Tuncer, Chinese Academic at Istinye University:
“I work with the Chinese-Turkish Association. Today, we’re here to represent Chinese culture. Festivals like this are very helpful in promoting cultural understanding. China is a global power, and we aim to share our culture through this event. We’ll have Chinese caricatures at our booth and write names in Chinese. We also offer traditional regional foods, and we hope everyone will try them.”
Saule Darmenova, International Trade and Business Student:
“We’re very happy that our university gave us the opportunity to represent our culture today. It’s great to talk to people from other countries and learn about their cultures. The festival has just started, but I already love it!”
Ilkin Shahmamadov, Molecular Biology and Genetics Student from Azerbaijan:
“As someone from Azerbaijan, a brother country to Turkey, I am proud to be here today. I’ll do my best to represent my country’s culture. Learning about other cultures expands our worldview. I want to thank Istinye University Rector Prof. Dr. Erkan İbiş for making this possible. Everything was wonderful, and we look forward to more events like this!”
