Turkey’s Ministry of National Education has introduced fundamental changes to the history curriculum. The term “Central Asia” in textbooks will be replaced with “Turkestan,” according to the “Adyrna” national portal, citing TRT, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation.
The Turkish president declared that this initiative is aimed at strengthening national identity and patriotism in future generations. “As we communicate our vision of the ‘Century of the Turks’ to the Organization of Turkic States, we will work together to turn the upcoming period into an era of the Turks,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who supported the initiative.
According to Erdoğan, this change is crucial for the unity of the Turkic world. The term “Turkestan,” which means “the homeland of the Turks,” has been used since ancient times. “Following Russian conquests in the second half of the 19th century, the term ‘Central Asia’ was introduced and spread among the public, replacing ‘Turkestan’,” explained Associate Professor Ramin Sadyk from the History Faculty.
The scholar noted that this is a significant initiative not only for Turkey but for the entire Turkic world, as well as for the partner countries of Turkic states.
