Turkey’s government has formally requested that it be referred to as Türkiye in a letter to the United Nations, according to the state-run news agency.
Setting the Difference
The action is considered as part of Ankara’s effort to rebrand the country and distance it from the same-named bird and its unfavorable connotations.
For Some Time
The Turkish government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pushed for the internationally recognized name Turkey to be changed to Türkiye (tur-key-YAY), as it is spelled and spoken in Turkish. After declaring independence in 1923, the country was renamed Türkiye.
Erdogan ordered the usage of Türkiye to better reflect Turkish culture and values in December 2021, including requiring that “Made in Türkiye” be used on exported items instead of “Made in Turkey.” Turkish ministries began utilizing the language Türkiye in official papers as well.