From May 29 to 31, 2025, the 11th annual FUEN TAG meeting (Working Group on Turkic Minorities/Communities) was held in the Republic of Bulgaria, bringing together representatives of Turkic peoples from over 10 countries worldwide.
On behalf of Comrat State University and the Gagauz people, Dr. Güllü Karanfil, a lecturer at the Department of Gagauz Philology and History at Comrat State University and Chairwoman of the Public Organization "Meras," participated in the forum.
FUEN TAG is part of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), whose goal is to protect the rights, cultures, and languages of Turkic minorities in Europe, such as the Gagauz, Karachay-Balkars, Western Thrace Turks, Meskhetian Turks, and others.
At the #FUENTAG roundtable, the following topics were discussed:
- current challenges faced by Turkic communities;
- activities of public organizations;
- preservation and development of native languages.
Dr., lecturer Güllü Karanfil presented a report on the current state of the Gagauz language in the Republic of Moldova, spoke about cultural, social, and educational initiatives, and highlighted the urgent issues faced by the Gagauz community.
Comrat State University’s participation in such forums is not only a contribution to international dialogue but also an important step in promoting the university’s academic and cultural authority at the European level. It confirms that the Gagauz language and culture are an important part of European diversity and deserve support and development
Representatives of Turkic communities, experts, human rights defenders, and activists from over 10 countries exchanged experiences and outlined ways of cooperation.
