President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized the importance of passing Turkish on to future generations in a message he issued for Turkish Language Day.
Erdoğan said Turkish was not merely a means of communication, but also the carrier of history, culture, civilizational heritage and collective memory.
Erdoğan noted that Turkish had grown richer through interaction with different peoples and geographies over the centuries, adding that the language conveyed the nation's thoughts and emotions across numerous fields, from poetry and literature to science and the arts.
On the occasion of September 26 Turkish Language Day, Erdoğan said Turkish must be protected as a heritage passed down from the past, enriched and conveyed strongly to future generations, describing this as a duty.
Erdoğan also called for the widespread use of Turkish in a correct, eloquent and careful manner and for strengthening children's and young people's interest in the language.
Erdoğan said in his message that a nation that protects its language also protects its history and future. The statement was shared on the NSosyal account of the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, a Turkish-language social media platform.