Remembering Idris Talha Kartav, Türkiye’s ambassador to the world

An emblem of cross-cultural dialogue, Idris Talha Kartav was simply getting began. Idris was constructing himself into an iconic determine well-known by a legion of Chinese followers from ‘Informal Talks’, a TV present which he starred on.

But on February 6, Idris’s promising life was tragically reduce quick.

Idris, who on the time was staying on the Grand Isias Hotel in Adiyaman, was one among 52,000 plus victims of the dual earthquakes that struck south Türkiye and Syria final month.

Iranian actor and tv presenter based mostly in China, Arash Estilaf thought of Idris a detailed buddy. “It was a big shock for me,” Arash tells TRT World. “Idris loved his country and loved to help people,” he says.

“He was a very loyal friend,” Arash affirms, noting how Idris at all times seemed to provide and by no means anticipated something in return.

They had been first launched to one another over a Chinese scorching pot meal earlier than they had been speculated to report a TV present in China when Arash found how starstruck Idris was. “He said, ‘I really admire you. You are my idol’,” says Arash, including that Idris was an enormous fan of his TV exhibits and had discovered Chinese by watching them.

“He was so friendly and cheerful,” remembers one other of Idris’s mates, Afsin Avci. “I always remember him raising the energy up wherever he was.”

Afsin, who has been organising world-scale influencer summits since 2016, first met Idris in 2018 resulting from his influencing energy in China. Afsin then invited Idris and a few of his fellow Chinese KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) to the INFLOW Global Summit 2018.

“Since that day, a close friendship was born between us,” Afsin tells TRT World.

Idris additionally attended the INFLOW Qatar Summit in 2019, and the following one in Antalya in 2020. “He was always helpful and ready to share his expertise on how we can grow the INFLOW network,” Afsin says, including that Idris even helped them begin their China-related initiatives previous to the pandemic.

Arash highlights that they weren’t simply mates, however doppelgangers too.

“We really look like each other a lot. One of his fans said that he cannot recognise who Arash is and who Idris is,” he laughs, earlier than including: “With his passing, I lost myself.”

The face of Türkiye

Hailing from Istanbul, Idris dropped out of structure college in 2010 on the age of 18 and went to China, the place he studied at Xiamen University and did his grasp’s in worldwide relations. He additionally presided over the International Turkish Students’ Association throughout that point.

“I could have studied business in the United States, the immediate choice that springs to mind. But I thought China would be a better choice for my future and my father fully supported me,” he stated in an interview with Beijing Review, China’s nationwide English journal, which described Idris as desirous to contribute to pleasant ties and cooperation between Türkiye and China.

The 31-year-old, referred to as Tang Xiaoqiang in China, first participated in Hubei TV’s in style selection present Informal Talks as a consultant of Türkiye, turning into an everyday fixture that knowledgeable the viewers and different visitors about Turkish tradition and historical past. Fluent in Chinese, he received admirers together with his sense of humour and respectful angle in direction of Chinese tradition.

He used to ceaselessly categorical his affection for China by sharing his experiences on-line. He as soon as stated he wished to settle in Xiamen, China’s southeastern Fujian Province and had plans to purchase a home there and turn into a everlasting resident.

Afsin says Idris was devoted to spreading a optimistic notion of his personal nation to Chinese viewers, which led to him having an energetic function in creating Chinese-Turkish relations and business ties as nicely.

This was particularly obvious within the tourism sector, with 1000’s of Chinese vacationers visiting Türkiye largely resulting from Idris’s content material which he posted on the influential Chinese social media platform, Weibo.

It labored the opposite means too, as Idris turned a go-to supply for these intrigued by China. “Being an influencer in China, he had unique experience and know-how about the land. Someone wanting to know more about China, or do business there, always ended up with Idris because he was so helpful to people who wanted to discover this market,” Afsin says.

“He was introducing lots of beautiful things about Türkiye to a Chinese audience,” Arash says. But he additionally laments that Idris didn’t get sufficient help from again dwelling, particularly for somebody that constantly spoke of Türkiye in a superb mild.

“His name should be known by Turkish people. He did a lot to introduce Türkiye to the world.”

Source: TRT World