The Legacy of Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Lives on Through Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency’s (TİKA) Turkish Language Class in Somalia

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established the “Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Turkish Language Class” at an orphanage in Somalia that houses the children of martyred police officers.

TİKA launched this meaningful educational project in honor of the children of Somalia’s fallen police officers. Named after July 15 Martyr Ömer Halisdemir, the Turkish language class was inaugurated during a ceremony at an orphanage in the capital, Mogadishu.

The opening was held as part of the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day commemoration program, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Mogadishu.

The ceremony was attended by Somali Minister of Internal Security, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismael (Fartaag); Minister of Defense, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi; Army Commander Brigadier General Sahal Abdullahi Omar; Somali Police Force Commander, Major General Asad Osman Abdullahi; and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Mogadishu, Alper Aktaş. Also in attendance were the ambassadors of Qatar, Sudan, and Kenya, along with the Permanent Representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to Somalia, Ambassador Mohamed Bamba.

The “Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Turkish Language Class” aims to honor the national spirit of July 15, preserve the memory of a heroic martyr through education, and provide Somali students with the opportunity to learn Turkish. Turkish language instruction in the classroom will be provided by Yunus Emre Institute, enabling students to become more familiar with the Turkish language and culture and gain an advantage when pursuing educational opportunities in Türkiye.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).