Turkish government pushes for country be known as ‘Turkiye’

2 June 2022, 13:14

Mevlut Cavusoglu
Turkey Name Change. Picture: PA

Ministers have formally asked for the UN to refer to the country by a different name, to disassociate it from the bird and some negative connotations.

Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has sent a letter to the United Nations formally requesting that his country be referred to as “Turkiye”, the state-run news agency reported.

The move is seen as part of a push by Ankara to rebrand the country and dissociate its name from the bird, turkey, and some negative connotations that are associated with it.

The Anadolu Agency said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, confirmed receipt of the letter late on Wednesday.

Turkey stock
A square in the city of Sanliurfa, south eastern Turkey (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The agency quoted Mr Dujarric as saying that the name change had become effective “from the moment” the letter was received.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has been pressing for the internationally recognised name Turkey to be changed to “Turkiye” (pronounced tur-key-YAY) as it is spelled and pronounced in Turkish.

The country called itself “Turkiye” in 1923 after its declaration of independence.

In December, Mr Erdogan ordered the use of “Turkiye” to better represent Turkish culture and values, including a call for “Made in Turkiye” to be used instead of “Made in Turkey” on exported products.

Turkish ministries began using “Turkiye” in official documents.

Haghia Sophia
A full moon rises above the iconic Haghia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey (AP)

Earlier this year, the government also released a promotional video as part of its attempts to change its name in English. The video shows tourists from across the world saying “Hello Turkiye” at famous destinations.

The Turkish presidency’s directorate of communications said it launched the campaign “to promote more effectively the use of ‘Turkiye’ as the country’s national and international name on international platforms”.

It is not clear whether the name will catch on widely abroad. In 2016, the Czech Republic officially registered its short-form name, Czechia. While some international institutions use this name, many still refer to the country by its longer name.

Turkey’s English-language state broadcaster TRT World has switched to using “Turkiye”, although the word “Turkey” slips in occasionally as journalists get used to the change.

TRT World explained the decision in an article earlier this year, saying that Googling “Turkey” brings up a “a muddled set of images, articles, and dictionary definitions that conflate the country with Meleagris – otherwise known as the turkey, a large bird native to North America – which is famous for being served on Christmas menus or Thanksgiving dinners”.

The network continued: “Flip through the Cambridge Dictionary and ‘turkey’ is defined as ‘something that fails badly’ or ‘a stupid or silly person’.”

TRT World argued that Turks prefer their country to be called “Turkiye”, in keeping with “the country’s aims of determining how others should identify it”.

By Press Association

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Trump-Special-Counsel

Special counsel Jack Smith resigns after submitting his Trump report

Pictures-of-the-Week-Global-Photo-Gallery

Netanyahu to send Mossad director to Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar

Two firefighters with their back to the camera watch as a plane dumps water on a burning landscape

Firefighters race to contain LA wildfires as menacing winds forecast to return

The devastation of the Palisades fire

Los Angeles families return to search the ruins of their homes for memories

Russia Ukraine War

Ukraine says it captured two North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia

Fresh evacuation orders were issued overnight as the deadly blaze continues to sweep through Los Angeles, with smoke from the fires posing a health emergency.

LA wildfires blaze on as evacuation orders continue with locals told to stay inside over smoke fears

Police clear a blockade at a demonstration

Protests at far-right party’s conference as Germany’s election campaign warms up

Rescue workers at the site of the crash

Black boxes from South Korea plane crash failed to record final four minutes

Syrians sing and wave post-Assad flags during the concert

Syrians celebrate a month since Assad’s overthrow with revolutionary songs

Patricia Bunting, from Wigan, was on a three week holiday with her grandson and two sons to Disney World

Brit grandmother stranded in Florida 'finally returning home' but remains 'immobile' as she fights for her life

People in protective clothing walk through a farm

Animal transports banned in German region after foot and mouth disease detected

Police remove a protestor from the street

Far-right party’s conference draws protests as Germany heads into election

Harry and Meghan have met victims of the wildfires in LA

Harry and Meghan make surprise appearance in LA as they comfort wildfire victims and first responders

LA wildfires continue to spread

LA residents warned to stay inside due to smoke fears as wildfires continue to spread

Sam Moore

Sam Moore, who sang Soul Man in Sam and Dave duo, dies aged 89

Venezuela Inauguration

Venezuela’s opposition supporters conflicted after Maduro is sworn in