No more Turkey: nation changes name to Türkiye at UN in rebranding effort
- Move seen as part of bid to dissociate name from bird and also from associated negative connotations such as a ‘stupid or silly person’
- Turkish Foreign Minister has sent UN a letter formally requesting the change; in 1923 country called itself ‘Türkiye’ after gaining independence
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has sent a letter to the United Nations formally requesting that his country be referred to as “Türkiye,” 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.
Most Turks know their country as Türkiye but the anglicised Turkey is still widely used.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has been pressing for the internationally recognised name Turkey to be changed to “Türkiye” (tur-key-YAY) as it is spelt and pronounced in Turkish. The country called itself “Türkiye” in 1923 after its declaration of independence.
In December, Erdogan ordered the use of “Türkiye” to better represent Turkish culture and values, including demanding that “Made in Türkiye” be used instead of “Made in Turkey” on exported products. Turkish ministries began using “Türkiye” 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 Türkiye” at famous destinations.