The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and the Republic of Turkey have partnered to commence cultural programmes geared towards both countries’ socio-cultural and economic development.

Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, Hidayet Bayraktar, said this when he visited the director-general of NCAC, Segun Runsewe, in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Bayraktar said the partnership would enhance cultural activities within Nigeria and the Republic of Turkey to make their citizens more cultured and improve the quality of their lives.

He added that the partnership would also open up new social and economic horizons for networking works of arts and various crafts between the two countries.

Mr Bayraktar congratulated Mr Runsewe for his various achievements as NCAC’s boss and his contribution to networking Nigerian arts and culture.

The ambassador said the visit was to introduce the Director of the Turkish Yunus Emre (YETKM) Institute in Nigeria, Musa Erbas, to the council.

He added that it was to seek positive ways of collaboration between the NCAC and the Republic of Turkey where sundry cultural programmes could be developed and marketed this year.

“Through the YETKM, the institute has lots of cultural programmes lined up for execution on the 2024 calendar, including youth cultural exchange programmes in arts and paintings.

 “Games like archery, being an important sporting activity within the Turkish community, will be developed and competed among secondary school pupils in Nigeria,” the ambassador said.

He said the 2024 UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, slated for March 31, and the World Women’s Day would be utilised by the Turkish Embassy to showcase her rich cultural heritage.

The ambassador solicited the strong collaboration of NCAC to provide the enabling environment and the cultural expertise to bring these lofty cultural ideas to fruition.

Responding, Mr Runsewe thanked the Turkish delegation for their timely visit to promote cultural heritage.

The NCAC boss, also the president of the World Crafts Council for the African Region, said such has opened new vistas for cultural development between the NCAC and the Republic of Turkey.

He expressed the council’s readiness to collaborate with the Republic of Turkey in various areas of cultural development.

“I pledge the council’s commitment to provide proper collaboration and branding for all the cultural programmes that will be showcased by the NCAC and the Republic of Turkey,” he said.

(NAN)