Youth bus set to tour Europe to tout Turkish culture

Under a new program called Youth Bus, 51 Turkish young people are set to spend three weeks traveling to 10 European countries spreading awareness of Turkish culture along with other projects. Program coordinator Maksut Coskun said they have been organizing it since last fall, including seeking corporate sponsorship. The young people will make a documentary about their journeys through European Union countries along with a host of other projects, he added. "We'll also promote Turkey's historical and cultural treasures in the capitals we visit," he explained. "We'll go to Greece, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria, and stay in each country's capital for two days." Coskun said the bus' first stop would be at the house in Thessalonica, Greece where Turkish Republic founder Ataturk was born. "We want to make this project a tradition," he added. "It will be held every year with a different format. Our first format is EU projects. Next year it will be Turkish cuisine. We'll do projects with Turkish cooks to promote Turkish cuisine in Europe."