Yasemin Karahüseyin and Fatih Baha Aydın International Award: Prof. Dr. Muhammad Harb
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Atlığ for his contributions to Turkish classical music The Performance: "Sakarya Türküsü"
The 2018 live performance by Arzen has since become widely popular, amassing over 7.3 million views on platforms like the Star Gazetesi YouTube channel. Themes of the Poem
The poem, originally written by Kısakürek in 1949 after observing the Sakarya River during a train journey from Ankara, is a masterpiece of Turkish literature that reflects national feelings, spiritual struggle, and a "resurrection" of the Turkish spirit.
"Sakarya Türküsü" is not merely a description of a river; it is a profound historical and philosophical critique.