Chicago: Attending North America's biggest Turkish festival celebrating the country's heritage, Trkiye's ambassador to the US highlighted the potential for such events to foster cultural exchange. "I hope such activities can facilitate interaction, not only between and among the Turkish community, but between the Turkish community and the larger American society," Sedat Onal said at the ongoing three-day Turkish Festival that began on Friday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Onal highlighted the current "promising stage" in Trkiye-US relations, which includes a multifaceted "rising trend" in trade, cultural exchange, and political ties. He emphasized that "one of the most important and strong parts of our relationship is people-to-people contacts," which events like the Turkish Festival promote. "I think such activities like this help us increase bonds of friendship, cooperation, empathy, and understanding between the Turkish community and the larger American society," he said, vowing to continue supporting such activities.

The event opened Friday at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, setting the tone for a weekend of music, food, art, and cultural exchange. More than 200 booths line the festival grounds, offering Turkish cuisine, artisanal works, and traditional crafts such as calligraphy, paper marbling (ebru), illumination (tezhip), and ceramics.

Onal also emphasized that the festival serves as a platform for "our broad vision of the Turkish community," bringing together Azerbaijanis, Central Asian Turkic diasporas, and local Muslim groups. Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijan's ambassador to the US, used a similar tone, saying: "We are together not only in Trkiye, not only in Azerbaijan, but also in different geographies, in America, in Chicago." Noting that the Azerbaijani American Community of Illinois has also set up a stand at the event, Ibrahim said it "makes me very proud that the Turkish community and the Azerbaijani community are here together."

Mehmet Kasim Gulpinar, mayor of Sanliurfa, a city in southeastern Trkiye famed for its culinary heritage, emphasized the significance of the venue. "For us, Chicago is practically on the other side of the world, so to see such a carefully prepared event here, drawing great interest from both Turkish citizens and foreigners, is truly meaningful," he said. Highlighting Sanliurfa's growing reputation as a food tourism destination, he added: "Gastronomy has increasingly become an essential part of tourism, and Urfa has always taken pride in its offerings in this area. So, we're especially pleased to see that being showcased here - even if just a small part - because Urfa has an incredibly rich culinary heritage."

Mehmet Gulluoglu, vice president of the Turkish Green Crescent, an anti-addiction organization, told Anadolu that such events are "incredibly important because, in truth, we don't know each other well enough-people around the world do not know one another well enough." Gulluoglu, who has also served as Trkiye's ambassador to Tanzania, spoke at the festival about Trkiye's peace diplomacy and outreach. "Here, on behalf of the Green Crescent, we're also distributing our publications on addiction prevention to both Turkish citizens and international visitors," he said. "We have such a vast and rich civilization to share - from our cuisine to our folk dances, from the legacies of the Ottoman and Seljuk eras to the heritage of the Republic of Trkiye, including our history and archaeology. There is so much we can tell the world. But it's only valuable if we actually share it. If we don't, we remain a hidden treasure, closed off from others."