Three multinational values of Türkiye – tea as a cultural symbol, the telling tradition of Nasreddin Hodja and silk weaving – were added to UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage on Thursday.
Nasreddin Hodja is a unique and entertaining character from Turkish folklore. Born in 1208 in Sivrihisar, Nasreddin Hodja was a Seljuk satirist known for appearing in thousands of witty stories, most of which had a pedagogical nature. Considered a sage and philosopher with a strong sense of wit and humor, Nasreddin Hodja served as a kadi, which was a Muslim judge, up until his death in Konya’s Akşehir in 1284. Referred to as the Turkish jester, there are 350 anecdotes attributed to his name and every summer a festival is held in his honor in his town of birth.
The year 1996 was declared the "Year of Nasreddin Hodja" by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Akşehir Municipality has been organizing Akşehir Nasreddin Hodja Festival internationally between 5-10 July for 63 years and Nasreddin Hodja Memorial Days on 24-26 October. Within the framework of Nasreddin Hodja Commemoration Days, Akşehir Nasreddin Hodja Anecdotal Revival Competition has been organized for 6 years in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education and Akşehir Municipality.
