Ahilik Week

Ahilik Week is a national series of events held annually in Türkiye to promote the Ahilik culture, sustain it among tradespeople and artisans and their organizations, and transmit it to future generations. Ahilik is a cultural and professional system based on the Arabic-origin word ahî, meaning “my brother,” and in some sources is stated to derive from the Turkish-origin word akı. The word akı conveys meanings such as “generous, open-handed, brave.”

Occupying a significant place in the economic and social life of the Anatolian people, Ahilik is a cultural institution that combines honesty, love, friendship, cooperation, tolerance, knowledge, and solidarity with art and production. Ahilik is regarded as a symbol of the worker, the laborer, the producer, honest earnings, and just governance, and it has persisted as a system forming the fundamental values of tradesmen organizations in Türkiye.

Ahi Evran Veli (Anadolu Ajansı)

Fundamental Principles of Ahilik

The founding philosophy of Ahilik rests on certain principles aimed at preserving professional and social order. Accordingly, Ahilik functions as a public-oriented institution; individuals do not place their personal interests above those of their peers and seek happiness through serving and benefiting the public. To establish professions and crafts on sound moral foundations, the hierarchy of apprentice–journeyman–master is applied, within which a sincere and heartfelt bond with the instructor is foreseen. Ahilik aims to ensure justice within society by balancing the interests between producers and consumers. Respect for work and diligence, cooperation, and the punishment of injustice are among the core values of Ahilik. The virtues expected of an ahi include: having an honorable forehead, hospitality in hand and table, keeping the tongue free from lies and slander, refraining from illicit gains, and not coveting another’s honor. During the Ottoman period, Ahilik was maintained through the guild and gedik system, and in the Republican period, tradesmen organizations have continued to uphold these values through legal regulations.

History of Ahilik Week

Ahilik Week was officially organized with the regulation issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 1988, aiming to extend the Ahilik Festival, initially celebrated only in Kırşehir, to the entire country. Between 1988 and 2008, the celebrations were conducted with the participation of the Kırşehir Governorship and civil society organizations. With the regulation published in 2008, the coordination and responsibility of the celebrations were assigned to the Ministry of Customs and Trade. Ahilik Week celebrations constitute not only cultural and social activities but also a professional and scientific platform. The scholarly examination of Ahilik, the transmission of its cultural values from generation to generation, and its promotion at national and international levels form an important part of these events.

Legal Basis and Regulation

Ahilik Week began with the regulation published in the Resmi Gazete numbered 19860 in 1988 and is currently conducted under amendments published in the Resmi Gazete numbered 29298 on March 17, 2015. The regulation is based on the Decree-Law No. 640 on the Organization and Duties of the Ministry of Customs and Trade and encompasses nationwide events and activities aimed at promoting the philosophy of Ahilik abroad.^【1】 

Organization and Administrative Structure

Central Executive Board of Ahilik Celebrations

• Chair: Minister or an authorized representative.
• Members:  Director and Deputy Director of Esnaf ve Sanatkârlar Genel Müdürü ve Yardımcısı, İçişleri Bakanlığı, Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı, Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı, TRT Genel Müdürlüğü, YÖK, Atatürk Kültür, Dil ve Tarih Yüksek Kurumu, Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, TİKA, Yurtdışı Türkler ve Akraba Topluluklar Başkanlığı, Yunus Emre Enstitüsü, Kırşehir Valiliği, Kırşehir Belediyesi, Ahi Evran Üniversitesi, Ahi Kültürünü Araştırma ve Eğitim Vakfı, ülke genelinde en fazla üyeye sahip esnaf ve sanatkârlar derneği, TOBB, TESK, TESKOMB, Kırşehir Ticaret ve Sanayi Odası, Kırşehir Esnaf ve Sanatkârlar Odaları Birliği (Director General and Deputy Director General of Tradesmen and Artisans, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, TRT General Directorate, Higher Education Council (YÖK), Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History, Presidency of Religious Affairs, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, Yunus Emre Institute, Kırşehir Governorship, Kırşehir Municipality, Ahi Evran University, Ahi Culture Research and Education Foundation, the tradesmen and artisans association with the highest membership nationwide, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), TESKOMB, Kırşehir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kırşehir Tradesmen and Artisans Chambers Union).
• Secretariat: Directorate General of Tradesmen and Artisans, Ministry.
• Duties: Evaluating celebrations, approving official programs, preparing framework programs and sending them to provinces, planning overseas activities, monitoring scientific research, organizing seminars, conferences, and panels, approving budgets, and executing official ceremonies.

Provincial Ahilik Celebration Committees

• Chair: Provincial administrative head or deputy.
• Members: Provincial Director of Trade, Provincial Director of National Education, Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, Provincial Director of Youth and Sports, municipalities, universities, chambers of commerce and industry, unions of tradesmen and artisans, representatives of credit and guarantee cooperatives.
• Secretariat: Provincial Directorate of Trade.
• Duties: Preparing celebration programs in accordance with board decisions, designating personnel for ceremonies, submitting result reports to the board, and being accountable to the board.

Timing and Duration of Celebrations

Ahilik Week events are organized annually in September on dates determined by the Central Executive Board of Ahilik Celebrations. If the festival coincides with local liberation days, festivals, or fairs, celebrations may be conducted simultaneously in cooperation with relevant institutions. When necessary, the date and duration can be adjusted upon proposal of the board and approval by the minister.

Organized Activities

Activities held within the scope of Ahilik Week encompass cultural, scientific, and artistic dimensions. These include fairs, bazaars, exhibitions, and hospitality events. Scientific meetings such as conferences, seminars, symposiums, and panels are also organized. Competitions in painting, poetry, and composition, as well as film and video screenings, theatrical performances, and musical recitals, are part of the program, allowing participants to showcase their creativity. Additionally, events conducted abroad to promote Ahilik culture internationally are also included in the program.

Ahilik Week Event in Kırşehir (Anadolu Ajansı)

Finance and Budget Arrangements

The financing of Ahilik Week celebrations is provided from different sources depending on the type of event and its location. Expenses for the official ceremony held in Kırşehir are shared equally by the Ministry, TOBB, TESK, and TESKOMB. Budgets for activities conducted in Kırşehir outside the official ceremony are prepared by the Provincial Celebration Committees and approved by the Central Executive Board of Ahilik Celebrations. Expenses for celebrations in provinces outside Kırşehir are covered by the relevant institutions and organizations in that province. Additionally, contributions in cash or in kind from local administrations, individuals, and organizations support the budget. Expenditures for the promotion of Ahilik, the conduct of cultural and scientific research, and the organization of national or international events are covered by TOBB, TESK, and TESKOMB.

Scientific and Cultural Contributions

Ahilik Week organizes symposiums, conferences, and academic workshops to research Ahilik culture on a scientific platform, and to preserve and promote its cultural values. Symposiums held every five years evaluate the impact of the core values of Ahilik—such as honesty, cooperation, tolerance, knowledge, and justice—on contemporary society and tradesmen organizations.