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Organized in collaboration between Istanbul Medeniyet University’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Istanbul Branch of the Turkish Writers’ Union (TYB), the youth panel titled “A Guardian of Civilization: D. Mehmet Doğan” explored the vision of civilization held by the writer, lexicographer, and intellectual D. Mehmet Doğan, who passed away last year. Doğan, the founder and honorary president of TYB, was introduced to the younger generation through the program held on June 3, 2026.

Speaking at the opening of the program, held at the Ziraat Bank Conference Hall on the North Campus of Istanbul Medeniyet University, Dean of the Faculty of Literature Prof. Dr. Ahmet Koçak noted that D. Mehmet Doğan held an important place in Turkish cultural and intellectual life. Expressing his joy at commemorating Doğan alongside the students at such a meaningful event, Koçak said, “Our Istanbul Branch President of the Turkish Writers’ Union, Mr. Mahmut Bıyıklı, is a valued friend who has made it a principle to honor our cultural figures and carries out important work to introduce the pioneering names of Turkish literature and intellectual life to new generations. “It is of great importance for our youth to recognize and read the works of an intellectual and cultural figure like D. Mehmet Doğan, who rendered great service to our civilization. In particular, I believe that the Great Turkish Dictionary should be present in every student’s library. I remember the late D. Mehmet Doğan with gratitude and respect,” he said.

Mahmut Bıyıklı, Chairman of the Istanbul Branch of the Turkish Writers’ Association (TYB), author, and advisor to the Ministry of National Education, noted that D. Mehmet Doğan was a pioneering intellectual who dedicated his life to the Turkish language, culture, and civilizational values. Bıyıklı noted that Doğan left a lasting legacy not only through his works but also through the generations he mentored and the institutions he founded, adding that he was one of the strongest advocates of a culture-based civil society in Turkey. Bıyıklı said, “D. Mehmet Doğan was an exceptional figure who devoted his life to our language, our culture, and our civilizational cause. He was not merely a writer; he was also a guardian of civilization who built, paved the way, and guided younger generations.”

The panel, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elyasa Koytak of the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Literature, featured Sena Döğmen, Aybike Berra Atalay, Bengü Abuçka, Rabia Wasiq, and Zümra Beren Köse as speakers. The five young speakers offered their assessments of D. Mehmet Doğan’s linguistic awareness, understanding of culture, vision for youth, and pioneering role in the Turkish Writers’ Union.

One of the key topics highlighted in the presentations was Doğan’s exceptional place in Turkish lexicography. The speakers highlighted the author’s struggle for the correct and careful use of our language—a struggle that resulted in a lasting contribution to the field through *The Great Turkish Dictionary*—and noted that, through his works addressing topics such as civilization and identity—particularly *The Betrayal of Westernization*—Doğan left a lasting legacy as a “lover of the Turkish language” that will endure for generations. During the program, it was emphasized that his work—particularly regarding the preservation of the Turkish language, the maintenance of cultural memory, and the transmission of a sense of civilization to new generations—remains as relevant today as ever.

In her closing remarks at the end of the panel, Prof. Dr. Özlem Fedai, a faculty member at Istanbul Medeniyet University, noted that the students’ presentations on D. Mehmet Doğan had filled her with hope. Stating that the young people had carefully read Doğan’s works and interpreted them successfully, Fedai noted that the embrace of cultural and civilizational heritage by new generations represents a significant gain for the future.

The program, which was attended by university faculty members, students, guests, and TYB representatives—and drew intense interest from the students—concluded with a group photo following the question-and-answer session.