The 8th International Akhism Symposium, themed “Futuwwa and Futuwwatnames,” has begun under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and the Governorship of Kırşehir, and is hosted by Kırşehir Ahi Evran University. The opening ceremony took place on September 26, 2025, at the 15 July National Will Hall in the Ahi Evran Congress and Culture Center. The symposium was attended by Kırşehir Governor Murat Sefa Demiryürek, Chief Public Prosecutor Oğuz Şükrü Ener, Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Director General of Tradesmen, Craftsmen and Cooperatives at the Ministry of Trade Taha Enes Şener, Deputy Governor İsmail Çetinkaya, Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Col. Ahmet Yıldırım, Provincial Police Chief Mesut Görücü, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Musa Özata, Prof. Dr. Ali Güneş and Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Şimşek, Secretary General Dr. Hüseyin İlter, local administrators, institutional representatives, academic and administrative staff, and students.

Before the opening ceremony of the symposium, Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil and protocol members served Ahi Pilaf, halva, and sherbet to the participants. Then, the protocol members officially opened the Digital Futuwwatnames, Akhism in Ottoman Documents, and Futuwwa Books exhibitions, and the visitors toured the displays. After the exhibition tour, the opening ceremony of the 8th International Akhism Symposium began. The opening speech was delivered by Dr. Tahsin Hazırbulan, Chair of the 8th Akhism Symposium Executive Committee. In his speech, Hazırbulan noted that the symposium was organized with the support of the Ministry of Trade and emphasized that this year’s theme is “Futuwwa and Futuwwatnames.” Hazırbulan expressed his hope that the symposium would achieve its objectives and thanked everyone who contributed to its organization.

Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil was the next to speak. At the beginning of his speech, he commemorated Prof. Dr. Hasan Karaköse, Head of the Department of History at the Faculty of Science and Letters, who recently passed away, as well as Majd Ali, a first-year student in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, who was martyred while searching for food for his family during the Israeli attacks on Gaza. Rector Karahocagil condemned the Israeli terror state for its inhumane massacres in Gaza over the past two years. He said, “For every student, every child of our nation, and for the sake of thousands of innocent and oppressed people—Majd Alis, Hind Receps—who have been killed for no reason, I invite everyone to boycott forever the products of companies that support the Zionist murderers.”

Rector Karahocagil: “The Akhism Corpus Was Compiled Using Materials Collected at Akhism Symposia”

Continuing his speech, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil shared information about the 7th International Akhism Symposium held last year. He stated that a total of 504 papers have been presented at Akhism symposia, resulting in an “Akhism Corpus” of approximately 8,000 pages. He went on: “The Akhism organization has been documented throughout all historical periods, and these records are now accessible online via the ISAM (Center for Islamic Studies) database. As a continuation of the Akhism symposia, last year we organized the 7th Akhism Symposium with the theme ‘Tradesmen and Artisans from Past to Present.’ This year, the theme is ‘Futuwwa and Futuwwatnames.’ Going forward, Akhism symposia will continue to be held thematically, with a strengthened international dimension. In this way, the effects, functions, practices, and contemporary reflections of Akhism will be brought into both national and international literature.”

Rector Karahocagil: “We Will Continue to Develop New Projects to Promote Akhism Internationally”

Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil also highlighted another notable aspect of the 8th International Akhism Symposium, pointing out that the event hosted three separate exhibitions featuring original documents from the Akhism and Futuwwa traditions. He also noted that, with the support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), 18 international businesspeople from 13 countries received a three-day Akhism-Based Entrepreneurship Training this year. Rector Karahocagil expressed his belief that these participants will play a key role in promoting Akhism values in their own regions. He continued, "We will continue to develop new projects to support the international promotion of Akhism through TİKA, the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), the Yunus Emre Institute, and the Maarif Foundation."

Rector Karahocagil: “Akhism Is About Building and Uniting, Not Breaking Apart”

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil emphasized that, as a university bearing the name of Ahi Evran-ı Veli, they see it as their fundamental duty to preserve Akhism in its true form and pass it on to future generations. He expressed his pride in leaving valuable resources for future generations through the symposiums and events they organize. Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil stated that Akhism is a unique model of values education, founded on the spirit of futuwwa and centered on science, art, and ethics. He added: “Ahi Evran-ı Veli created this tradition by blending values such as hard work, morality, justice, and compassion with patience, gratitude, and contentment. He spread these principles throughout Anatolia, stitching them into society with love, respect, humility, and lifelong learning. In this manner, he established a social order run by civilians, bringing a reasonable balance to economic, social, and political life. In short, 'Akhism Is About Building and Uniting, Not Breaking Apart'. In other words, Akhism means establishing a just social order where knowledge meets wisdom, production meets quality, and trade meets morality. That’s why our university, named after Ahi Evran-ı Veli, seeks to carry out all its educational and community engagement efforts in line with the values of Akhism." Rector Karahocagil noted that the course “Akhism Culture and Professional Ethics” is taught to all students in every program at our university, and that Akhism skills are emphasized during orientation week. He stated that throughout their education, students complete social responsibility and community contribution projects, which are formally recognized through the university’s Social Transcript Application. He also noted that at graduation ceremonies, students take the Akhism Oath. In addition, he emphasized that the university’s leading quality initiatives are also carried out in line with Akhism values, under the motto “On the Path of Akhism, Toward Excellence.” Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil expressed his belief that the 8th International Akhism Symposium, held as part of the 38th Akhism Week celebrations, will open the door for different segments of society to rediscover, experience, and sustain Akhism. He thanked everyone who contributed to making the symposium possible.

Following Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Kırşehir Governor Murat Sefa Demiryürek delivered a speech. In his speech, he pointed out that the 8th International Akhism Symposium focuses on the theme of “Futuwwa and Futuwwatnames.” He emphasized the importance of organizing such events in Kırşehir, the heart of Akhism and the spirit of Anatolia. Governor Demiryürek highlighted their commitment to keeping Akhism culture alive even on international platforms and to ensuring that current efforts in this field have a meaningful impact. He also thanked everyone who helped organize the symposium.

After the opening speeches, the first session of the symposium was held, with Dr. Coşkun Yılmaz as moderator. In this session, Prof. Dr. İlhan Şahin and Prof. Dr. Feridun Emecen gave a presentation on “Futuwwa, Akhism, and the Early Ottomans.”

After the opening session, certificates of achievement were presented to the participants of the Akhism-Based Entrepreneurship Training, organized by our university in cooperation with TİKA as part of the 38th Akhism Week celebrations. The certificates were presented by Kırşehir Governor Murat Sefa Demiryürek, Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, and other local officials. The 8th International Akhism Symposium will continue with sessions held in different halls until September 27, 2025.