An example of soft power in public diplomacy: Maarif Foundation of Turkey

Today, public diplomacy, as a strategic factor for creating and directing influence on the international community, plays an active role in defending the interests of a state, gaining legitimacy and informing the foreign public correctly. It is a natural diplomatic requirement for a country to try to make maximum use of public diplomacy in this period when communication is becoming global. In this sense, public diplomacy activities centered on education and culture have a wider scope of use between states than political, military power and economic relations, and allow for the development of more sincere and lasting relations on public opinion in the long term. Maarif Foundation of Turkey (TMV), as one of the soft power features of Turkey's public diplomacy, provides formal and non-formal educational services based on the common virtues and experiences of humanity, conducts all the processes of education from kindergarten to university with the aim of developing and disseminating these services. In this way, it is constantly expanding its sphere of influence. This study aims to examine the educational and cultural diplomacy activities carried out by TMV around the world. In this study, the effect of the educational and cultural practices implemented by TMV abroad as a soft power on the recognition and recognition of Turkey and the strengthening of its image has been investigated. It is estimated that TMV has made significant contributions as an effective actor in the process of internationalization of the Turkish language, education system and culture with the practices it has carried out abroad since its establishment.