The Turkish Maarif Foundation has organised a major graduation ceremony for international students from 10 African countries, who successfully completed their university education in Türkiye.
The foundation works towards promoting education, including awarding scholarships to foreign students and running schools in many countries, as part of Türkiye’s commitment to boosting bilateral ties and enhancing education globally.
Instead of the traditional cap toss, Maarif students celebrated their graduation by launching paper planes in the colours of the Palestinian flag, as a gesture of solidarity with Palestine as Israel continues its brutal war on Gaza.
More than 100 students graduated in the latest batch having completed their studies in various fields of social and natural sciences.
During the ceremony in Istanbul on Wednesday, students from Africa and other continents received their degree certificates from 38 different universities across Türkiye.
Maarif’s growing impact
Having initially completed studies at Maarif Schools in Somalia, Tunisia, Sudan, Guinea, Niger, Mali, Ethiopia, Morocco, Burundi, and Mauritania, the African students are now preparing to return to their home countries to serve as ambassadors of goodwill. This comes as ties between Türkiye and African countries continue to blossom.
Speaking at the ceremony, President of the Turkish Maarif Foundation, Mahmut Mustafa Özdil, highlighted that the foundation, established nine years ago, is now active in 55 countries across six continents, reaching over 70,000 students worldwide.
“Maarif Schools raise individuals who remain rooted in their culture while being globally connected. Our model is free from imposition, sensitive to local values, and open to universal principles. You are not only successful graduates but also trustworthy bridges of shared values between your countries and Türkiye,” Özdil said, while emphasising the foundation’s unique educational model.
‘Voice of the voiceless’
Representing the graduates, Hamza Yimaj Hussien from Ethiopia underlined that Maarif nurtures not only academic success but also strong ethical values.
“What’s happening in Gaza breaks our hearts. Maarif taught us to be compassionate and just individuals in addition to being successful. It is our duty to be the voice of the voiceless,” he said.
In a symbolic moment during the ceremony, Muhammed Ahmed Alasow — a graduate of Mogadishu Maarif School and Istanbul Medipol University — passed the Maarif flag to Mahamat Saleh Khamis, a student from N’Djamena Maarif School in Chad and a student at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University.
The event concluded with the symbolic launch of watermelon-patterned paper planes — an emblem of Palestinian resistance — and a group photo.
Among the attendees were Istanbul Deputy Governor M. Asım Alkan, members of the foundation’s board of trustees, executives, families, and staff.
