The Polish-Turkish Studies Centre has been awarded funding from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) for its project “Poland in Istanbul: Language, Translation and Intercultural Encounters”. The grant comes under NAWA’s “Polish Language Promotion 2026” programme.
The Centre began its activities on 8 May 2026, and its growing cooperation with Istanbul University is already producing concrete results. Together with Prof. Hacer Topaktaş Üstüner of Istanbul University, the team has designed a twelve-month programme running from November 2026 to November 2027.
What is planned
- Fieldwork in Istanbul and Adampol/Polonezköy. An opening seminar will be followed by fieldwork at the Adam Mickiewicz Museum and the historic Polish settlement, where students will explore shared heritage, document sites and prepare descriptions in both languages.
- Translation Lab. Four workshops in which students of Polish language and literature at Istanbul University will turn their collected materials into translations and bilingual educational resources.
- Polish Days at Istanbul University. Discussions on contemporary Poland, language, society and academic cooperation, including a “Young Poland – Young Türkiye” meeting.
- Lasting results. An interactive “Poland in Istanbul” map, a digital archive and a bilingual Polish-Turkish publication will remain accessible after the project ends.
- Final activities in Gdańsk. Workshops for Istanbul University students and staff, followed by an open seminar presenting the results of the year’s collaboration.
At the University of Gdańsk, the project brings together the Polish-Turkish Studies Centre and the Faculty of Social Sciences with the expertise of the Faculty of Languages and the Academic Centre for Polish Language and Culture.
The project team includes Prof. Przemysław Gębal and Dr Rafał Raczyński (University of Gdańsk), and Prof. Hacer Topaktaş Üstüner, Prof. Emrah Gaznevi, Aleksandra Sobiczewska and Dr Halil Türker (Istanbul University).
“This is an achievement for the Centre and, above all, for our joint team. We are looking forward to working with the students and meeting everyone in Istanbul and Gdańsk!”
Polish-Turkish Studies Centre