Between June 18 and 24, 2025, ethnolinguistic research is being conducted in the village of Kadydundurma (Edirne, Turkey) within the framework of the international project MODELGAGAUZ, aimed at preserving and promoting the Gagauz language and culture. Dr. Güllü Karanfil and Tatiana Cazacu, a student from Comrat State University, are participating in the fieldwork.

Kadydundurma is a unique village inhabited by Gagauz people who have adopted Islam. The community has preserved distinctive features of their language and culture that differ from traditional Gagauz communities. The research focuses on studying the local dialect, the community’s knowledge about the Gagauz, and the remaining elements of cultural identity.

The working group is accompanied by colleagues from Turkish partner institutions — Maltepe University (Istanbul) and Trakya University (Edirne).

The MODELGAGAUZ project is a joint initiative of three universities — Comrat State, Maltepe, and Trakya — and is funded by the scientific organizations TÜBİTAK (Turkey) and NARD (Moldova). Its main objective is to develop a socio-cultural model for the preservation of the Gagauz language through healthy bilingualism and intercultural dialogue.