Introduction
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu requested in a letter to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in December 2021. The other name “Türkiye” rather than “Turkey” be used worldwide. Turkey’s name now reads Türkiye as of the notable year 2022.Actually, it’s a sign of the conquerors’ broken heritage. The term “Türkiye” is said to stand for Turkish culture, standards, values, and civilization, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Additionally, no satisfactory response was found when searching for “Turkey” on Google.
What led the Turkish government to support the change in name?
One of the primary argument centers on the definition of the word “Turkey”. Globally, it refers to the bird. In the United States and several European nations, it refers differently.It is traditionally linked with Christmas, New Year’s, or Thanksgiving.Additionally, it is described as “something badly wrong” or “a stupid or foolish person” in the Cambridge English Dictionary.
The goal of the campaign;
According to the Turkish presidency’s Communications Directorate is to,
“More effectively promote the usage of ‘Türkiye’ as the country’s national and international name on international platforms.” After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a requesting message worldwide.That the public use Türkiye to describe the country’s actual nature. Turkey started the process of changing its internationally recognized official name in English to Türkiye in December.Following a formal request from Ankara for the change, the UN gave Turkey official approval to change its name to “Türkiye.”The word “Turkiye” best represents the culture, civilization, and ideals of the Turkish people.Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of the country, said in a statement in 2021. This name actually creates a stronger foundation for the Turkish people.
How does an identity link to nation’s values and culture?
The name of a person or of a country serves as the genuine identification. If it is the name of a country, it does embody its values, conventions, civilization, and way of life. Identity and name are closely related to one another. Because a nation has a distinct identity if it has a name. But if a country wishes to have its own identity, it needs a name. In reality, a name and an identity serve as a link to a country’s values, culture, and interests. However, this word ‘Türkiye’ confirms that what Tayyip said was true.
The other major reason;
Europeans have used several different names for Turkiye over the years.First referred to it as the Ottoman state. However, “Turquia” in Latin and the more common “Turkey” are the names that have lasted with people the longest.The legacy of colonizers was expressed through it, in the opinion of the Turks. Because of their heritage, their identity was muddled. This colonially imposed identity over Turks had a darkening effect on their perception of civilization and culture so far. A country lacks its foundation when it lacks its own culture and civilization.
This unfavorable comparison dates back centuries.It was a time when Wild turkeys were a bird that Europeans mistakenly believed to be related to the guinea fowl. But they were actually native to eastern Africa and brought to Europe through the Ottoman Empire.However, when they first began to reign over Americans in the North and imposed their cultures and identities onto them. The bird soon made its way onto the tables and into the diets of the colonizers.Ever since then, these festivities have been associated with the bird.Their behavior had gotten accustomed.
There were indications of colonization throughout the entire event.The intention for altering the name was to erase the colonizer’s legacy.Furthermore, this encourages a country to share its civilization, culture, and interests with the rest of the globe.
Re-branding Initiative
The government launched a huge re-branding campaign that resulted in “Made in Türkiye” appearing on all exported goods. In the notable year, BBC also reported that the government had begun a tourism campaign in January with the slogan “Hello Türkiye.”The country is currently experiencing an economic crisis, according to the BBC.While the government’s supporters favour the initiative. And it has received little support outside of that group. It might also serve as a diversion as the nation prepares for elections the following year.
It is a green light to their Turk identities. Additionally, the colonizer chain’s breakdown. Out of it, today they shine as true Turks.
Conclusion
After many years, they were able to fully open their eyes.Let go of the colonizer’s history and give their style a true meaning. They now have revealed their identity to everyone in the world. Similar to how many other nations have changed their names for the better.Turkey’s name was changed to Türkiye in order to more effectively represent its standards and genuine culture to the rest of the world.While also introducing the world to their well-known economy with the new hands and identity.