Int’l Language/Culture Fest today

MANILA, Philippines - To most Asians and probably even the whole world, Turkey still remains a mysterious and awesome country. It’s both old and modern world, ideally located in Western Asia as one of the most favorite traveled places in the world. Turkey has been inhabited since the paleolithic age, including various ancient Anatolian civilizations, Aeolian and Ionian Greeks, Thracians and Persians and was once conquered by Alexander The Great.

The International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC) of the Cultural Center of Turkey is the largest and most prominent organization for promoting world languages and cultures. It is dedicated to cultivate and educate the youth and create a platform to share their cultural heritage with their peers around the world. The IFLC is an annual celebration and showcase for the diversity of linguistic talents from across the world. The mission of the IFLC is to be both a resource and an advocate for the value of diversity and inclusion.

IFLC begun in 2003 with only 17 countries participating. Last year, participation ballooned to 145 countries from five continents joining with over 2,000 participants.

The annual Filipino-Turkish Language Cultural Show will be highlighted by the international finals called the IFLC where participants for the international competitions are selected. Students from 160 countries will compete in 19 categories and age groups. Expected to join the event are about 20,000 coming from 160 countries and the occasion shall be covered live by local and international media.

The aim of the International Language and Culture Festival is to contribute to linguistic and cultural diversity in the Philippines by encouraging and motivating students in secondary schools and colleges, as well as adult learners, to showcase their knowledge and skills on the Turkish language and its culture in friendly competitions and to foster understanding and respect among various world cultures.

For the first time, the 13th International Language and Culture Festival’s pre-qualifications, sponsored by the Turkish Cultural Center in cooperation with the Integrative Center for Alternative Development (ICAD) Foundation in Manila and co-organized by the Pacific Dialogue Foundation, Inc. (PDF) unfolds today at the Resorts World Hotel Manila.

The festival is the biggest event ever hosted by the ICAD Foundation and the PDF. The event brings together international student groups from 27 countries and 100 Turkish and 300 foreign nationals from 140 countries.

Thus, the organizers of the event led by the Philippines’ Merve Ozkan of IFLC, Cihangir Arslan, president of Pacific Dialogue Foundation and Malik Gencer, director of Integrative Center for Alternative Development Foundation declare that it is their joint conviction that cultures are shaped by human universal values and beliefs.

The organizers are inviting everyone to take part in the International Language and Culture Festival pre-qualifications night as a sponsoring partner, a co-organizer or members of the Steering Committee or just enjoy it as active participants or guests.