A replica of a vessel that departed the Aegean port of Foça some 2,600 years ago arrived in Marseille on July 1, marking the official start of the Year of Türkiye in France. The original ship carried Anatolian settlers who founded the city; the modern reenactment served as the opening act for a nine-month cultural program running through March 2010.
The program spans more than 400 events: a Mercan Dede concert, an exhibition of imperial Ottoman caftans at the Louvre, and Ramadan festivities, among others.
The launch arrived amid visible strain. French officials grew uneasy over Ankara's apparent lack of enthusiasm, and that cooling was not accidental. President Nicolas Sarkozy delayed the program's start from March to July to prevent Türkiye's EU membership from inflaming European Parliament elections. His party, the UMP, made that membership a campaign wedge, positioning itself as the only force capable of blocking Ankara's accession. France had also closed chapters in Türkiye's membership talks, and Sarkozy publicly rebuked President Obama for endorsing Türkiye's EU bid.
Ankara registered its displeasure: President Gül canceled a fundraising dinner for the program and Prime Minister Erdoğan nearly withdrew Türkiye's financial support. The columnist nonetheless argues against pulling back, calling the cultural year the better opportunity to test whether French public opinion can shift.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in June 2009, in its own words.