Orinta Labutytė photo
At the end of September, alumni of Vilnius University’s Faculties of Philology and Philosophy – graduates of the Lithuanian Philology and Foreign (Turkish) Language as well as Middle Eastern (Turkology) Studies programmes – gathered at the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Vilnius to celebrate community, the cultural ties between Lithuania and Türkiye, and a friendship that has lasted for more than 30 years.
This year's event was attended by Pro-Rector for Partnerships of the University, Dr Artūras Vasiliauskas; Professor of the Faculty of Philology, Habil. Dr Bonifacas Stundžia, VU lecturers and a large group of alumni. They were welcomed by H.E. Ms. Esra Toplu, the Turkish Ambassador, and Dr Artūras Vasiliauskas, the VU Vice-Rector. The speakers expressed their delight at the mutually beneficial cooperation and the wide range of career paths chosen by the more than 100 graduates. During the meeting, which showcased Turkish culture, VU graduates Skaistė Keršytė and Ema Yanardağ performed songs in Turkish and Lithuanian.
Orinta Labutytė photo
This is the second meeting of its kind, where Turkish language specialists who graduated from VU a couple of decades ago and later shared memories, smiles and plans for the future. Initiated by students and lecturers, the event is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey and the Yunus Emre Institute. As there is a desire among all attendees to nurture this community, we hope that such meetings will become an annual event.