In partnership with the Kırşehir Governorship and as part of the Yunus Emre Commemoration Program, a panel and spiritual music recital were held at our university. The panel titled “Yunus Emre: The Eternal Voice of Turkish” took place on October 1, 2025, at the Ahi Evran Congress and Culture Center’s 15 July National Will Hall, with the participation of Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, Deputy Governor İsmail Çetinkaya, Vice Rectors Prof. Musa Özata and Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Şimşek, Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Mustafa Doğan, local officials, institutional representatives, academic and administrative staff, and students.

As part of the Yunus Emre Commemoration Program, the event began with a spiritual music performance by vocalist Selman Çevik before the panel. By performing Yunus Emre’s poems, Çevik gave the audience an enjoyable experience. Prof. Dr. Kubilay Kolukırık, Dean of the Neşet Ertaş Faculty of Fine Arts, also sang a hymn during the concert.

Rector Karahocagil: “Yunus Emre’s Poetry Delivered Wonderful Messages to All Humanity”

Following Selman Çevik’s performance, the panel session began. The opening speech was delivered by Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil, who emphasized that many important figures have emerged from Kırşehir, including Yunus Emre. Rector Karahocagil gave a brief overview of Yunus Emre’s life, highlighting that he was raised as an “insan-ı kamil” (perfected human) by Taptuk Emre. He also explained Yunus Emre’s significance in Turkish culture, underlining that the use of Turkish in his poetry contributed greatly to its lasting impact. He stated that Yunus Emre’s poems focus on divine love, friendship, and humility, and have conveyed beautiful messages to all humanity. Quoting from Yunus Emre’s poetry, he concluded that Yunus Emre will continue to live on through his timeless works and profound messages.

Deputy Governor Çetinkaya: “Yunus Emre Reminded Us in His Works That Love Is the Most Fundamental Value”

Afterwars, Deputy Governor İsmail Çetinkaya remarked that the event was organized to remember Yunus Emre and revive the values he passed down. He highlighted Kırşehir’s rich tradition of producing influential individuals and stated that Yunus Emre is among these outstanding personalities. Çetinkaya pointed out that Yunus Emre’s plain language and deep tolerance allowed him to reach both his own time and future generations. Yunus Emre has reminded us in his works that the most fundamental value is love,” he said. At the end of his speech, Çetinkaya expressed his respect for Yunus Emre’s memory and thanked everyone who contributed to the event.

Once the opening speeches concluded, the panel session began under the moderation of Prof. Dr. Nadir İlhan from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Prof. İlhan’s presentation was titled “Yunus Emre’s Advocacy for Turkish and the Usage of Body Terms in Idioms in His Divan.” İlhan emphasized that Yunus Emre played a key role in the development of written Turkish in Anatolia, saying, “Yunus Emre, one of the leading figures in Turkish literature, was among the poets who used the Turkish language of his time most proficiently in his works.”



Following Prof. Dr. Nadir İlhan, Prof. Dr. Orhan Kemal Tavukçuoğlu from Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University gave a presentation on “Yunus Emre in the Light of New Evidence and Documents.” Prof. Dr. Salahaddin Bekki from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences delivered a talk on “Turkish Religious Music and Yunus Emre’s Hymns.”

At the conclusion of the panel, protocol members presented certificates to the panelists. The program proceeded with a spiritual music performance by Leonida Timuş, who presented different pieces by Yunus Emre.