Every year, events are held in many centers as part of 21 February, International Mother Language Day. Following the local elections, municipalities have also intensified their efforts, and mother-tongue activities will once again be organized in Diyarbakır (Amed) this year by many institutions. Municipalities have carried out activities such as marches, panel discussions, awareness-raising videos, concerts, and the restoration of street names in Kurdish. However, they have remained insufficient in taking concrete steps on mother-tongue services. In Diyarbakır, where only a very limited number of kindergartens have been opened and targeted projects have not been implemented, efforts continue to increase awareness of mother-tongue rights and to expand services.
Tahir Baykuşak, Head of the Department for the Protection of Languages at Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality, said that the municipality provides services in four languages and has also launched Syriac and Armenian courses for languages that are at risk of disappearing or lack official status. He noted that many projects are planned to raise awareness of mother-tongue rights and stressed that, despite existing shortcomings, efforts continue to strengthen a multilingual approach to municipal services.
On multilingual services in local administrations and the goals set for the coming period, Baykuşak underlined that initiatives launched in previous years were disrupted during the trustee appointment process, but that this approach has been revived with the re-election of municipalities.
Looking back on the earlier phase of the process, Baykuşak said: “As you know, between 2013 and 2014, intensive efforts were made to establish a multilingual service approach and related practices in local administrations. Important work was carried out for both children and adults, particularly under the leadership of Sur Municipality. These efforts were left unfinished, especially after the appointment of trustees. In particular, our colleagues who were working in this field were removed from these services.”
There are also Armenian and Syriac courses
Multilingual services were put back into practice after municipalities were regained in 2024, Baykuşak said, adding that there has been a particular focus on language-related work over the past two years. He stated that during this period, efforts in the field of language have included content and services in Kurmanji, Zazaki, Turkish, and English.
Baykuşak said that mother-tongue activities continue within municipal departments and that courses and educational programs are offered for both adults and children. He said: “Our departments carry out work in the mother tongue in social and cultural terms. In addition to Kurmanji and Zazaki, Syriac and Armenian courses are also provided within the municipality. These two languages are very important to us. Even though the population is smaller than in the past, reflecting the mother tongues and the cultural colors of the two peoples living in this city is very important for us.”
The city’s multilingual and multicultural character matters in every respect
The work is not limited to courses alone, Baykuşak said, drawing attention to projects for children as well. He also said: “Zarokistan kindergartens and children’s playgrounds are also part of this effort. Beyond that, we are working to reflect the Kurdish presence in bazaars and marketplaces. We are carrying out work on Kurdish names and Kurdish expressions in streets and neighborhoods. The fact that the city is both multilingual and multicultural in this regard also helps increase interest in the mother tongue.”
Local administrations should raise awareness on mother tongue rights
Baykuşak said that there is a need for more staff in order to further expand mother-tongue work and added that training is also being provided to municipal personnel. He also said: “Our mother tongue is alive, like human beings, like life itself. If it does not gain official status, it moves toward death and disappearance. In this context, we mark Mother Language Day during the week of 21 February. We focus especially on languages that do not have official status. Kurdish, Circassian, and Hemshin are among these languages. Local administrations should work to increase awareness of the mother tongue and to expand related services.”
We have many goals ahead of us
Baykuşak stressed that efforts will continue so that everyone living in the city can receive services in their own mother tongue and concluded his remarks as follows: “We are working so that people living in this city can receive services in their own mother tongues and do not face difficulties. We have not yet reached the point we want to reach, but we are working toward it. Until endangered languages gain official status, local administrations should draw attention to mother tongues and spread this awareness across all areas. People should leave municipal buildings in good spirits when they go there.
There are many examples today in Europe and the Balkans. Despite shortcomings both in terms of work and staffing, we have clear goals ahead of us. There is a great deal of work to be done in this regard. There is much work to be carried out in this city in both Kurmanji and Zazaki.”
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