The “International Colloquium on Türkiye–Syria Relations from Past to Present” took place in Damascus on 24 October 2026. The project was led by Associate Professor Nuri Salık, Director of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University’s Migration Policy Research and Application Center (AYBU-GPM), with Assistant Professor Mehmet Sadık Gür, the Center’s Deputy Director, contributing as a researcher. Hosted by Damascus University, the event was organized by the Writers’ Union of Türkiye (TYB) and the Social Sciences University of Ankara, with support from the Republic of Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Bringing together academics, writers, and cultural figures from both countries, the colloquium examined shared memory and historical relations through a range of disciplinary perspectives. Sessions explored intellectual history, connections between cities, migration, family ties, the press, art, and language education.
Associate Professor Nuri Salık presented his paper, “Joint Resistance against Imperialism: Turkish–Arab Cooperation during the Turkish War of Independence and the Historical Foundations of Türkiye–Syria Relations (1919–1921).” Assistant Professor Mehmet Sadık Gür chaired the “Philosophy and Cultural Structure” session, which explored the intellectual traditions linking Damascus and Anatolia. Professor Mustafa Orçan of AYBU’s Department of Sociology also examined the effects of migration from Syria on relations between the two societies and their cultures.
Professor Musa Kazım Arıcan, Rector of the Social Sciences University of Ankara and Honorary President of TYB, discussed the intellectual connections between Damascus and Anatolia through the legacies of al-Farabi and Ibn Arabi. Professor Muhammet Enes Kala, President of TYB, considered the contemporary relevance of Kınalızâde Ali Efendi’s Ahlâk-ı Alâî. Among the Syrian participants, Professor Bekri Alâeddin examined a work by Ibn Arabi in the context of shared memory, while Professor Ammar al-Nahhar explored the historical ties between Damascus and Istanbul through the accounts of Ibn Tulun al-Salihi.
Damascus University history professor Semer Behlevan addressed social interaction between Aleppo and Gaziantep, while Rami al-Daleli discussed customs and everyday life in Deir ez-Zor during the Ottoman period. Muhammed al-Hacci highlighted the value of the Ottoman Syrian press as a historical source. Sociology professor Abdülhamid al-Süveys examined how education, working life, and neighborly relations strengthen social ties. Mehmet Sıddık Yıldırım also presented examples of family connections sustained across generations between the two countries.
Discussions emphasized the importance of documenting personal and family accounts of migration and settlement, preserving shared cultural heritage, and promoting mutual understanding through language education. The colloquium concluded with reflections on opportunities to expand joint research and strengthen academic cooperation between Türkiye and Syria.
