500 days have passed since we set off on our quest to convey the unique, quarter-century-old chronicle of the PakTurk Schools to future generations. We accomplished great achievements and covered many milestones along the way; yet, we believe we have many more stories to tell. We request you to continue your support.

Greetings, dear friends,

It has been 500 days since we launched the PakTurkFile website. During this period, we endeavoured to chronicle the founding, growth and success stories of the PakTurk Schools, which opened their doors to sublime education in 1995. We have shared the exciting, sometimes sad and sometimes joyful memories of the education volunteers who migrated to Pakistan from Turkey. We mention a quarter of a century studded with exquisite experiences, sincere friendships, great sacrifices and tears.

Some have written series of articles about their lives in Pakistan from their arrival to their departure. Some of these article series are still in progress. Some teachers, administrators and homemakers told their memories of Pakistan in interviews. Many details heard for the first time have been shared among these memories. However, given the quarter-century of the PakTurk history, you will appreciate that what has so far been told and written does not even make the ‘tip of an iceberg’.

We organized a cash-prize art (painting/poetry/story) competition participated by children who were born or lived in Pakistan. The registrations for the game tournament organized by the Play2Fund platform to contribute to the PakTurk Schools’ legal struggle are open. We have commemorated the memories of businessmen, academics, teachers and administrators who provided financial and moral support to the PakTurk School’s services to education and society in Pakistan. We have endeavoured to introduce Pakistan’s food, traffic, climate, vegetables and fruits, historical and touristic places, parks and gardens, Eids and Ramadan customs. We have attempted to convey the portraits of significant political, religious and literary figures who lived in Pakistan and her geography throughout history.

We have endeavoured to convey the social relief activities, publishing activities, intercultural dialogue activities and various training projects organized by the PakTurk staff through first-person accounts. We have republished important news reports from different media outlets, with their memories associated with the PakTurk Schools, if any.

Hence, we believe an inspired cadre of educationists who loved Pakistan as their own country and shed tears when leaving has many more stories to tell. There is a period of sublime service which can never be given its due if it is told for 500 days or 500 years. Books related to this golden period deserve to be written and published, documentaries and films to be shot and screened, and unique examples of service to humanity should be passed on as a guide to future generations.

We request you once again to continue your support, write down all your memories and information about Pakistan and the PakTurk Schools, and share the photos or footages you have. We would also like to remind you our ever-readiness to take your written or spoken interviews. You may also send us your anecdotes as sound bites.

On this occasion, we share the names of our friends who have contributed to the PakTurkFile with 5 or more articles/memoirs until now, and say a hearty ‘Thank You!’ to them.

Doğan Yücel: ……………………. 75

Şemsinur Özdemir: …….……. 40 (interviews)

Taner Koçyiğit: ………………. 36

Sadullah Bayazit: ………………. 21

Mehmet Karadayı: …………. 11

Fatih Çapar: ………………………….. 7

Osman Arslanhan: …………. 6

Engin Yiğit: ……………………….….. 6

Sadık Pakdil: …………..………… 5