Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

No more Turkey: Country in push to be known as 'Turkiye'

A man waves a national flag as thousands of people visit the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, on the day marking the 103rd anniversary of the start of Turkey's War of Independence under the leadership of young Ottoman army general, Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk), in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, May 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) A man waves a national flag as thousands of people visit the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, on the day marking the 103rd anniversary of the start of Turkey's War of Independence under the leadership of young Ottoman army general, Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk), in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, May 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
Share
Ankara, Turkey -

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has sent a letter to the United Nations formally requesting that his country be referred to as 'Turkiye,' the state-run news agency reported. The move is seen as part of a push by Ankara to rebrand the country and dissociate its name from the bird, turkey, and some negative connotations that are associated with it.

Anadolu Agency said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, confirmed receipt of the letter late on Wednesday. The agency quoted Dujarric as saying that the name change had become effective "from the moment" the letter was received.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has been pressing for the internationally recognized name Turkey to be changed to "Turkiye" (tur-key-YAY) as it is spelled and pronounced in Turkish. The country called itself "Turkiye" in 1923 after its declaration of independence.

In December, Erdogan ordered the use of "Turkiye" to better represent Turkish culture and values, including demanding that "Made in Turkiye" be used instead of "Made in Turkey" on exported products. Turkish ministries began using "Turkiye" in official documents.

Earlier this year, the government also released a promotional video as part of its attempts to change its name in English. The video shows tourists from across the world saying "Hello Turkiye" at famous destinations.

The Turkish presidency's Directorate of Communications said it launched the campaign "to promote more effectively the use of 'Turkiye' as the country's national and international name on international platforms."

It was not clear whether the name, with a letter that doesn't exist in the English alphabet, will catch on widely abroad. In 2016, the Czech Republic officially registered its short-form name, Czechia, and while some international institutions use it, many still refer to the country by its longer name.

Turkey's English-language state broadcaster TRT World has switched to using "Turkiye" although the word "Turkey" slips in by journalists still trying to get used to the change.

TRT World explained the decision in an article earlier this year, saying Googling "Turkey" brings up a "a muddled set of images, articles, and dictionary definitions that conflate the country with Meleagris -- otherwise known as the turkey, a large bird native to North America -- which is famous for being served on Christmas menus or Thanksgiving dinners."

The network continued: "Flip through the Cambridge Dictionary and "turkey" is defined as "something that fails badly" or "a stupid or silly person."

TRT World argued that Turks prefer their country to be called "Turkiye", in "keeping with the country's aims of determining how others should identify it."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.