Strikers’ families ‘concerned’
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Families of two hunger strikers who have been protesting for the past 50 days said they were concerned for the lives of their children.
Mothers and relatives of hunger strikers Nazmi Doğan, 20, and Şeymus Öncer, 23, both of whom are under arrest at Kandıra F-type Prison near Istanbul as part of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) investigation, expressed worry to the Hürriyet Daily News.
Doğan’s mother, Elif Doğan, is concerned about the life of her son. Doğan has been held in prison for two years and has been on a hunger strike for 49 days, she said, adding that they have been worried because they are unable to receive any news on his condition.
She called on the prime minister’s wife for help. “If Tayyip Erdoğan does not hear us, you should be able to hear our voices Emine Erdoğan. You are also a mother. Find a solution to our misery. I am hurting inside. I want peace. It is not enough that mothers have cried so much.”
Şeyhmus Öncer’s mother, Nuriye Öncer, has not heard from her son, who has been held for one and a half years, for 49 days. She also wants the hunger strike to end as soon as possible.
“It is not even precisely known what my son is being charged with,” Nuriye Öncer said. She talked to her son on the phone a short while before the hunger strikes began.
“Even then he was too weak to talk. I wonder how he is now after 49 days.”
October/31/2012
31 Ekim 2012 Çarşamba
30 Ekim 2012 Salı
Novel written in Greek released after 50 years
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A publishing house set up by a group of Anatolian Greeks has begun publishing in the Greek language in Turkey again after a 50-year interval. “Ertelemeler ve Yokuşlar” (Delays and Slopes), written by a priest and the spokesman of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Dositheos Anağnostopulos, is one of the Istos Publishing House’s first releases.
Anağnostopulos told the Hürriyet Daily News he was proud to release a book written in Greek after the 50-year hiatus.
Born in Istanbul, Anağnostopulos said he had to leave the city he loves very much and move to Germany in 1968.
“I didn’t want to live in Istanbul as a minority. I hate the word ‘minority.’ I didn’t want to raise my children as a minority in need of tolerance. Fifty years ago, the Greek population in Istanbul was above 100,000,” Anağnostopulos said.
“The community’s cultural life was censored then. It was very difficult for them to publish books, release journals and periodicals and write articles. For the known reasons, the majority of Greeks had to leave Istanbul and thus cultural activities came to an end,” Anağnostopulos said.
Anağnostopulos said the young founders of Istos Publishing House proved that the culture and traditions of Istanbul Greeks are still alive. “I feel pride rather than sorrow. It is not the past, but the future hopes that make life livable.”
‘Written with an Istanbul theme’
Asked if he thought he had fulfilled a historical responsibility by releasing this novel, Anağnostopulos said, “Time will show this. I only feel pleasure for now.” He said “Ertelemeler ve Yokuşlar” was one of four novels he had written with an Istanbul theme. “I love writing, it is a kind of therapy.”
Speaking about the years he spent in Germany, Anağnostopulos said he found himself walking on the streets of Istanbul while writing his novels. He said he felt Istanbul and was saddened by this feeling when writing.
“Sadness is normal in such conditions. But apart from sadness, there are questions such as why and how all this happened. No one, especially politicians, has the right to play with fates of people. If politics moves away from virtue, it may turn into a disaster,” Anağnostopulos said.
Anağnostopulos said he began to think about Istanbul more often after he was retired, and he finally decided to return to the city.
“I was thinking if I could make any contribution to my community and to the city where I was born and grew up. I never cut my ties with Istanbul.” Anağnostopulos said he was blessed as a priest along with his duty at Fener Greek Patriarchate. “Those duties made a clean break in my life.” When asked what today’s Istanbul meant for him when compared to the past, Anağnostopulos said even though Istanbul had a unique beauty, it was not the same as the ‘60s today. “Only a few of my friends remained. My duty in the church makes it all bearable,” Anağnostopulos said.
October/30/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A publishing house set up by a group of Anatolian Greeks has begun publishing in the Greek language in Turkey again after a 50-year interval. “Ertelemeler ve Yokuşlar” (Delays and Slopes), written by a priest and the spokesman of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Dositheos Anağnostopulos, is one of the Istos Publishing House’s first releases.
Anağnostopulos told the Hürriyet Daily News he was proud to release a book written in Greek after the 50-year hiatus.
Born in Istanbul, Anağnostopulos said he had to leave the city he loves very much and move to Germany in 1968.
“I didn’t want to live in Istanbul as a minority. I hate the word ‘minority.’ I didn’t want to raise my children as a minority in need of tolerance. Fifty years ago, the Greek population in Istanbul was above 100,000,” Anağnostopulos said.
“The community’s cultural life was censored then. It was very difficult for them to publish books, release journals and periodicals and write articles. For the known reasons, the majority of Greeks had to leave Istanbul and thus cultural activities came to an end,” Anağnostopulos said.
Anağnostopulos said the young founders of Istos Publishing House proved that the culture and traditions of Istanbul Greeks are still alive. “I feel pride rather than sorrow. It is not the past, but the future hopes that make life livable.”
‘Written with an Istanbul theme’
Asked if he thought he had fulfilled a historical responsibility by releasing this novel, Anağnostopulos said, “Time will show this. I only feel pleasure for now.” He said “Ertelemeler ve Yokuşlar” was one of four novels he had written with an Istanbul theme. “I love writing, it is a kind of therapy.”
Speaking about the years he spent in Germany, Anağnostopulos said he found himself walking on the streets of Istanbul while writing his novels. He said he felt Istanbul and was saddened by this feeling when writing.
“Sadness is normal in such conditions. But apart from sadness, there are questions such as why and how all this happened. No one, especially politicians, has the right to play with fates of people. If politics moves away from virtue, it may turn into a disaster,” Anağnostopulos said.
Anağnostopulos said he began to think about Istanbul more often after he was retired, and he finally decided to return to the city.
“I was thinking if I could make any contribution to my community and to the city where I was born and grew up. I never cut my ties with Istanbul.” Anağnostopulos said he was blessed as a priest along with his duty at Fener Greek Patriarchate. “Those duties made a clean break in my life.” When asked what today’s Istanbul meant for him when compared to the past, Anağnostopulos said even though Istanbul had a unique beauty, it was not the same as the ‘60s today. “Only a few of my friends remained. My duty in the church makes it all bearable,” Anağnostopulos said.
October/30/2012
EUROPE > Kurds, Ezidis to rally in Berlin against Erdoğan
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A large group of Kurds, Ezidis, Armenians, Alawites and Syriacs from Europe are prepared to hold a protest against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Germany today.
Around 10,000 people from almost 50 organizations are expected to attend the rally in Berlin. Ezidis in particular are angry with Erdoğan’s recent remarks in which he used the term “Yezidi” instead of “Ezidi.” They believe that the word “Yezidi” holds negative connotations in Turkey.
Aziz Alkış, head of the Ezidi Associations Federation in Berlin said the “prime minister looked down on Ezidi citizens” with his remarks. He said they would call on Erdoğan to end his policy in Syria, as well as halt pressures on minorities and ethnic groups in Turkey. Noting that the Ezidi religion is not recognized on national ID cards and signified by an “X,” Alkış said it made their faith seem anti-Islamic.
‘Recognition of genocide’
Azad Ordughanyan, head of the Germany Armenians Center, said they would call on Turkey to recognize Armenian genocide allegations. “Turkey is still denying genocide. We will renew our call for recognition of the genocide.”
The head of the Alawite Unions Federation in Cologne, Hüseyin Mat, said the Turkish government has a policy of assimilation rather than accepting all differences. “Erdoğan will tell Europe that Turkey is a democratic country here. We will tell that this is not true.”
October/30/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A large group of Kurds, Ezidis, Armenians, Alawites and Syriacs from Europe are prepared to hold a protest against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Germany today.
Around 10,000 people from almost 50 organizations are expected to attend the rally in Berlin. Ezidis in particular are angry with Erdoğan’s recent remarks in which he used the term “Yezidi” instead of “Ezidi.” They believe that the word “Yezidi” holds negative connotations in Turkey.
Aziz Alkış, head of the Ezidi Associations Federation in Berlin said the “prime minister looked down on Ezidi citizens” with his remarks. He said they would call on Erdoğan to end his policy in Syria, as well as halt pressures on minorities and ethnic groups in Turkey. Noting that the Ezidi religion is not recognized on national ID cards and signified by an “X,” Alkış said it made their faith seem anti-Islamic.
‘Recognition of genocide’
Azad Ordughanyan, head of the Germany Armenians Center, said they would call on Turkey to recognize Armenian genocide allegations. “Turkey is still denying genocide. We will renew our call for recognition of the genocide.”
The head of the Alawite Unions Federation in Cologne, Hüseyin Mat, said the Turkish government has a policy of assimilation rather than accepting all differences. “Erdoğan will tell Europe that Turkey is a democratic country here. We will tell that this is not true.”
October/30/2012
Youth from east and west tell their stories
ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A recent oral history project involving young people from Turkey’s eastern province of Diyarbakır and western province of Muğla shows how the country’s youth from different regions see each other.
Conducted by anthropologist Leyla Neyzi from Sabancı University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the project involved some 100 young people from Dicle and Muğla universities.
“We found young people in Diyarbakır who were willing to speak. They really do want to have their voices heard. They wanted to address in particular the ‘west,’ which is a non-Kurdish population, whom they say did not experience the war in the southeast or its aftermath. They strongly feel that this difference in collective memory and these differences in experience result in a lack of understanding and lack of empathy concerning the Kurdish experience,” Neyzi said.For young people in Muğla, the past is about economic deprivation and a lack of modernity, Neyzi added.
“They speak of their parents and grandparents. The young people we spoke to came of age at a time when advancements in tourism transformed particularly the coastal regions.”
Defining history
Neyzi said two sets of interviews were conducted with some 100 young people between the ages of 15 and 35. “Oral history is conventionally associated with the elderly. In this case, we were interested in how young people constructed a past they did not necessarily experience directly. How do young people in Turkey define history? Through what sources do they learn about the past?”
Project curator Önder Özengi said, “We have noticed in this project that regardless of where they are from, from the west or the east, young people nurture a concern for the future in terms of economic standing. Even though for some young people from Diyarbakır a political dimension emerges as a priority to some extent, again, economic problems and concerns for the future are intense.”
Hüseyin from Muğla, 23, was born in Silvan, an eastern province of Turkey at the heart of the Kurdish issue. “One thinks at one point, who will pay for what I had to go through?” Hüseyin said. “Silvan, during and after the ‘90s, was horrible; I can never forget the sound of gunshots. Silvan was an intensely political place; it was a place caught in the triangle of Hizbullah, the PKK and the state. I became aware of what was going on around my junior high school years.”
Ali from Diyarbakır, 35, said of his experiences: “When my classes were finished at school, just like the rest of my friends, I would sell simit and börek to make money. I used to listen to a cassette by Şivan Oerver [a Kurdish singer]. My mother would tell me, ‘Dearest, please do not turn the volume up. Don’t turn it up. Nobody should hear it.’ There was a lot of fear in the air.”
The project was supported by the Open Society Foundation (Açık Toplum), the Henrich Böll Stiftung Foundation and the Istanbul Policy Center. More details on the project can be found on their website: http://www.gencleranlatiyor.org. An exhibition containing the stories collected will open at Hamursuz Fırını’s Kuledibi Şair Ziya Yokuşu on Oct. 30. It will continue until Dec. 29.
October/30/2012
ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A recent oral history project involving young people from Turkey’s eastern province of Diyarbakır and western province of Muğla shows how the country’s youth from different regions see each other.
Conducted by anthropologist Leyla Neyzi from Sabancı University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the project involved some 100 young people from Dicle and Muğla universities.
“We found young people in Diyarbakır who were willing to speak. They really do want to have their voices heard. They wanted to address in particular the ‘west,’ which is a non-Kurdish population, whom they say did not experience the war in the southeast or its aftermath. They strongly feel that this difference in collective memory and these differences in experience result in a lack of understanding and lack of empathy concerning the Kurdish experience,” Neyzi said.For young people in Muğla, the past is about economic deprivation and a lack of modernity, Neyzi added.
“They speak of their parents and grandparents. The young people we spoke to came of age at a time when advancements in tourism transformed particularly the coastal regions.”
Defining history
Neyzi said two sets of interviews were conducted with some 100 young people between the ages of 15 and 35. “Oral history is conventionally associated with the elderly. In this case, we were interested in how young people constructed a past they did not necessarily experience directly. How do young people in Turkey define history? Through what sources do they learn about the past?”
Project curator Önder Özengi said, “We have noticed in this project that regardless of where they are from, from the west or the east, young people nurture a concern for the future in terms of economic standing. Even though for some young people from Diyarbakır a political dimension emerges as a priority to some extent, again, economic problems and concerns for the future are intense.”
Hüseyin from Muğla, 23, was born in Silvan, an eastern province of Turkey at the heart of the Kurdish issue. “One thinks at one point, who will pay for what I had to go through?” Hüseyin said. “Silvan, during and after the ‘90s, was horrible; I can never forget the sound of gunshots. Silvan was an intensely political place; it was a place caught in the triangle of Hizbullah, the PKK and the state. I became aware of what was going on around my junior high school years.”
Ali from Diyarbakır, 35, said of his experiences: “When my classes were finished at school, just like the rest of my friends, I would sell simit and börek to make money. I used to listen to a cassette by Şivan Oerver [a Kurdish singer]. My mother would tell me, ‘Dearest, please do not turn the volume up. Don’t turn it up. Nobody should hear it.’ There was a lot of fear in the air.”
The project was supported by the Open Society Foundation (Açık Toplum), the Henrich Böll Stiftung Foundation and the Istanbul Policy Center. More details on the project can be found on their website: http://www.gencleranlatiyor.org. An exhibition containing the stories collected will open at Hamursuz Fırını’s Kuledibi Şair Ziya Yokuşu on Oct. 30. It will continue until Dec. 29.
October/30/2012
18 Ekim 2012 Perşembe
Bell to toll once more at Diyarbakır church
ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A century after its establishment, the historical Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakır reopened for worship last year. Now, the church is set to completely return to its former glory with the installation of a new bell on Nov 4. The new bell, which weighs 100 kilograms, was produced in Moscow
Canadian artist Raffi Bedrosyan, who contributed to the restoration of the church, poses with the new bell.
One of Diyarbakır’s most important churches, Surp (St.) Giragos Armenian Church, will unveil its new bell at a ceremony early next month following restoration on the historical house of worship last year.
“The new bell, which weighs 100 kilograms, was produced in Moscow and presented as a gift from the Russian Armenian community to the Surp Giragos Church. It’s already been delivered to Diyarbakır and presented to the public,” Istanbul-based Canadian artist Raffi Bedrosyan, who contributed to the restoration of the church, recently told the Hürriyet Daily News ahead of the Nov. 4 ceremony for the new bell.
The tower was destroyed by cannon fire in 1915 on the grounds that it was taller than the minarets of mosques. The new bell has been crafted in a style similar to the original by Russian Armenians in Moscow.
“This church, the greatest Armenian Church in the Middle East, is a clear evidence of Armenian influence in Anatolia before 1915 and now it has become a pilgrimage place for all Armenians from Turkey, Armenia and the diaspora,” Bedrosyan said.
Church reopened last year
The church was used as a command center by German officers during World War I, and later used as an apparel depot by the state-owned Sümerbank until 1950. It was finally returned to the Armenian community following a lengthy legal struggle. The church reopened for worship last year, a century after its construction.
Bedrosyan also hopes to restore the historical Varagavank Monastery located in the eastern province of Van. “Both Ankara and Van agreed to launch the restoration project, but social and natural obstacles delayed the process. We wish to restore this church with the cooperative efforts of both Turkish and Armenian experts,” Bedrosyan said.
October/18/2012
ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A century after its establishment, the historical Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakır reopened for worship last year. Now, the church is set to completely return to its former glory with the installation of a new bell on Nov 4. The new bell, which weighs 100 kilograms, was produced in Moscow
Canadian artist Raffi Bedrosyan, who contributed to the restoration of the church, poses with the new bell.
One of Diyarbakır’s most important churches, Surp (St.) Giragos Armenian Church, will unveil its new bell at a ceremony early next month following restoration on the historical house of worship last year.
“The new bell, which weighs 100 kilograms, was produced in Moscow and presented as a gift from the Russian Armenian community to the Surp Giragos Church. It’s already been delivered to Diyarbakır and presented to the public,” Istanbul-based Canadian artist Raffi Bedrosyan, who contributed to the restoration of the church, recently told the Hürriyet Daily News ahead of the Nov. 4 ceremony for the new bell.
The tower was destroyed by cannon fire in 1915 on the grounds that it was taller than the minarets of mosques. The new bell has been crafted in a style similar to the original by Russian Armenians in Moscow.
“This church, the greatest Armenian Church in the Middle East, is a clear evidence of Armenian influence in Anatolia before 1915 and now it has become a pilgrimage place for all Armenians from Turkey, Armenia and the diaspora,” Bedrosyan said.
Church reopened last year
The church was used as a command center by German officers during World War I, and later used as an apparel depot by the state-owned Sümerbank until 1950. It was finally returned to the Armenian community following a lengthy legal struggle. The church reopened for worship last year, a century after its construction.
Bedrosyan also hopes to restore the historical Varagavank Monastery located in the eastern province of Van. “Both Ankara and Van agreed to launch the restoration project, but social and natural obstacles delayed the process. We wish to restore this church with the cooperative efforts of both Turkish and Armenian experts,” Bedrosyan said.
October/18/2012
15 Ekim 2012 Pazartesi
Armenia establishes school for Syria kids
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
In order to prevent problems stemming from the differences between the two dialects of Armenian, books for the school books were purchased from Syria.
The Cilician School, which provides education in the western Armenian dialect, has been established in Yerevan to serve school-age children whose families have migrated to Armenia from Syria due to the increasing tension and conflict there.
Syrian Armenian children had been facing problems with education in Armenian schools due to differences between the eastern and western dialects of the Armenian language. Eastern Armenian is spoken in Armenia and Iran, while western Armenian developed in Istanbul during the 19th century and is currently spoken by the Armenian Diaspora.
The school was established with contributions from and thanks to collaboration between the Cilicia Benevolent Foundation, Armenia’s Diaspora Ministry, the Armenian National Education Ministry and Yerevan Municipality, the school’s principal, Nora Pilibosyan, told Hürriyet Daily News in a telephone interview, adding that the school currently plans to provide education only for one year. “We hope the problems in Syria will end soon and the Syrian families will be able to return to their homeland,” Pilibosyan said.
“Our goal is to prevent these children from being deprived of education. It is too early to talk about the future, we will wait and see,” Pilibosyan said, when asked if the school could remain open longer in the event the situation in Syria does not improve within one year.
In order to prevent problems stemming from the differences between the western and eastern dialects of Armenian, books for the school books were purchased from Armenian schools in Syria, Pilibosyan said, adding that 250 children are currently attending the school.
4,000 Syrian Armenians currently in Armenia
After meeting with a group of 30 immigrants from Syria in late September, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hagopyan officially announced to the Armenian press that 4,000 Syrian Armenians had migrated to Armenia.
Armenia was caught off guard by the migration of Syrian Armenians, and Armenian citizens have opened their houses to the immigrants and helped them with private means. Some of the Syrian Armenians who have fled to Armenia have later headed to other countries where they have family, while some have settled in Armenia. A considerable number of them plan to return to Syria soon after the clashes there end.
October/16/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
In order to prevent problems stemming from the differences between the two dialects of Armenian, books for the school books were purchased from Syria.
The Cilician School, which provides education in the western Armenian dialect, has been established in Yerevan to serve school-age children whose families have migrated to Armenia from Syria due to the increasing tension and conflict there.
Syrian Armenian children had been facing problems with education in Armenian schools due to differences between the eastern and western dialects of the Armenian language. Eastern Armenian is spoken in Armenia and Iran, while western Armenian developed in Istanbul during the 19th century and is currently spoken by the Armenian Diaspora.
The school was established with contributions from and thanks to collaboration between the Cilicia Benevolent Foundation, Armenia’s Diaspora Ministry, the Armenian National Education Ministry and Yerevan Municipality, the school’s principal, Nora Pilibosyan, told Hürriyet Daily News in a telephone interview, adding that the school currently plans to provide education only for one year. “We hope the problems in Syria will end soon and the Syrian families will be able to return to their homeland,” Pilibosyan said.
“Our goal is to prevent these children from being deprived of education. It is too early to talk about the future, we will wait and see,” Pilibosyan said, when asked if the school could remain open longer in the event the situation in Syria does not improve within one year.
In order to prevent problems stemming from the differences between the western and eastern dialects of Armenian, books for the school books were purchased from Armenian schools in Syria, Pilibosyan said, adding that 250 children are currently attending the school.
4,000 Syrian Armenians currently in Armenia
After meeting with a group of 30 immigrants from Syria in late September, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hagopyan officially announced to the Armenian press that 4,000 Syrian Armenians had migrated to Armenia.
Armenia was caught off guard by the migration of Syrian Armenians, and Armenian citizens have opened their houses to the immigrants and helped them with private means. Some of the Syrian Armenians who have fled to Armenia have later headed to other countries where they have family, while some have settled in Armenia. A considerable number of them plan to return to Syria soon after the clashes there end.
October/16/2012
tos depict seminal events in İzmir’s past at an exhibition
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
The exhibition, featuring photos from the Orlando Carlo Calumeno Collection, is on display at Galatasaray’s Cezayir Restaurant.
Birzamanlar Publishing is hosting a new event designed to refresh memories about İzmir at the beginning of the Turkish Republic through the exhibition of historical postcards and photos from the Orlando Carlo Calumeno Collection.
The exhibition, which opened Oct. 12 at Galatasaray’s Cezayir Restaurant Meeting Hall, is titled “Once upon Time in İzmir: Postcards from Orlando Carlo Calumeno’s Collection” and consists of 60 historical photos. The exhibition will continue until Oct. 29.
“In this exhibition we would like people to stay alone with their thoughts,” Birzamanlar Publishing editor and exhibition curator Osman Köker told the Hürriyet Daily News. “I want viewers to be alone with the postcards and photographs, as they will refresh their memories about İzmir.”
Exhibitions of Orlando Carlo collection
Köker has conducted a number of exhibitions of the Orlando Carlo Calumeno Collection, including one that was titled “My Dear Brother,” which attracted a total of 10,000 people in Armenia, the United States and Europe with its depictions of Armenian life before 1915 that were drawn from the large collection of postcards owned by Calumeno.
“These exhibitions help Armenian people remember their countries,” said Köker. “With this exhibition, Turkish-Armenian dialogue improved.”
Köker said the new exhibition would exhibit the history of İzmir, as well as the important incidents that occurred in the Aegean city, including the Great Smyrna Fire.
“We will not only exhibit the Great Fire of Smyrna, but we will also make viewers refresh their memories about events in İzmir,” Köker said.
Explaining the beginnings of the fire, Köker said, “Turkish forces regained control of the city [from retreating Greek forces during the War of Independence] on Sept. 9, 1922. After that, the great fire started in the city.”
The fire, also known as the “Catastrophe of Smyrna” destroyed a large portion of İzmir, including its port.
The photographs in the exhibition ultimately depict the lives of non-Muslim people in Anatolia, he said, adding that they showed that there have been always Syriac Christians, Greeks and Armenians across the region.
Köker said his publishing house has previously published two books about İzmir, including Hervé Georgelin’s “The End of Smyrna” and “Once Upon a Time in İzmir: Postcards from Orlando Carlo Calumeno’s Collection,” which forms the basis of the present exhibition.
October/13/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
The exhibition, featuring photos from the Orlando Carlo Calumeno Collection, is on display at Galatasaray’s Cezayir Restaurant.
Birzamanlar Publishing is hosting a new event designed to refresh memories about İzmir at the beginning of the Turkish Republic through the exhibition of historical postcards and photos from the Orlando Carlo Calumeno Collection.
The exhibition, which opened Oct. 12 at Galatasaray’s Cezayir Restaurant Meeting Hall, is titled “Once upon Time in İzmir: Postcards from Orlando Carlo Calumeno’s Collection” and consists of 60 historical photos. The exhibition will continue until Oct. 29.
“In this exhibition we would like people to stay alone with their thoughts,” Birzamanlar Publishing editor and exhibition curator Osman Köker told the Hürriyet Daily News. “I want viewers to be alone with the postcards and photographs, as they will refresh their memories about İzmir.”
Exhibitions of Orlando Carlo collection
Köker has conducted a number of exhibitions of the Orlando Carlo Calumeno Collection, including one that was titled “My Dear Brother,” which attracted a total of 10,000 people in Armenia, the United States and Europe with its depictions of Armenian life before 1915 that were drawn from the large collection of postcards owned by Calumeno.
“These exhibitions help Armenian people remember their countries,” said Köker. “With this exhibition, Turkish-Armenian dialogue improved.”
Köker said the new exhibition would exhibit the history of İzmir, as well as the important incidents that occurred in the Aegean city, including the Great Smyrna Fire.
“We will not only exhibit the Great Fire of Smyrna, but we will also make viewers refresh their memories about events in İzmir,” Köker said.
Explaining the beginnings of the fire, Köker said, “Turkish forces regained control of the city [from retreating Greek forces during the War of Independence] on Sept. 9, 1922. After that, the great fire started in the city.”
The fire, also known as the “Catastrophe of Smyrna” destroyed a large portion of İzmir, including its port.
The photographs in the exhibition ultimately depict the lives of non-Muslim people in Anatolia, he said, adding that they showed that there have been always Syriac Christians, Greeks and Armenians across the region.
Köker said his publishing house has previously published two books about İzmir, including Hervé Georgelin’s “The End of Smyrna” and “Once Upon a Time in İzmir: Postcards from Orlando Carlo Calumeno’s Collection,” which forms the basis of the present exhibition.
October/13/2012
11 Ekim 2012 Perşembe
Virtuosos to sing works by Armenian musicians
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu verci
The works of two of the most titanic figures in Armenian music, Gomidas and Aram Khachaturian, will bring together a collection of Turkish and Armenian artists for a special concert tomorrow in Istanbul.
Armenian-American piano virtuoso Şahan Arzruni and famous Turkish violin virtuoso Cihat Aşkın will take the stage at Istanbul’s Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall tomorrow at 8 p.m. to perform pieces by Gomiadas and Khachaturian.
“Cihat is a violinist of international standing. He is a colleague whose musical language speaks to me. Unlike other musical partners, when we are together we don’t have lengthy discussions, we don’t have to make compromises. We feel the same way. We make music, plain and simple,” Arzruni told the Hürriyet Daily News.
Aşkın said interpreting Gomidas’ pieces was of great importance to him as an artist. “Gomidas is one the first composers and ethnomusicologists of this land. He collected Anatolian songs for the first time.”
The difficult and tragic life of Gomidas was fit for a book, Aşkın said. “But I don’t believe the trajectory of his creative output mirrors his personal life. Art is greater than life. A composer’s musical expression is not necessarily reflective of his biography. Mozart had a miserable life, but his music is almost sunny and optimistic.”
Gomidas’s famous song ‘Groong’
During the concert, Arzruni and Aşkın will also interpret world-renowned Armenian composer Khachaturian’s works. “Gomidas is the wellspring of Armenian music; Khachaturian is the musical ambassador of Armenian culture,” said Arzruni.
“The musical aim here is to compare and contrast the two creative forces. Cihat and I will present a number of original Khachaturian compositions and perform virtuosic transcriptions of three of Gomidas’ songs, including his famous ‘Groong’ [Crane]. The latter was arranged for violin and piano by cellist Sergei Aslamazyan, who was a founding member of the Gomidas String Quartet, the oldest existing chamber ensemble in the world,” Arzruni said. “I will play a number of stylized folk dances Gomidas collected and later arranged for piano. There are dances from historic Armenia, including those from Muş, Erzurum, and Yerevan.”
Gomidas was instrumental in researching music from across Anatolia. While he escaped death in the events of 1915, he lost his mental health after witnessing the murder of a number of friends. He died in an asylum in Paris in 1935.
October/12/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu verci
The works of two of the most titanic figures in Armenian music, Gomidas and Aram Khachaturian, will bring together a collection of Turkish and Armenian artists for a special concert tomorrow in Istanbul.
Armenian-American piano virtuoso Şahan Arzruni and famous Turkish violin virtuoso Cihat Aşkın will take the stage at Istanbul’s Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall tomorrow at 8 p.m. to perform pieces by Gomiadas and Khachaturian.
“Cihat is a violinist of international standing. He is a colleague whose musical language speaks to me. Unlike other musical partners, when we are together we don’t have lengthy discussions, we don’t have to make compromises. We feel the same way. We make music, plain and simple,” Arzruni told the Hürriyet Daily News.
Aşkın said interpreting Gomidas’ pieces was of great importance to him as an artist. “Gomidas is one the first composers and ethnomusicologists of this land. He collected Anatolian songs for the first time.”
The difficult and tragic life of Gomidas was fit for a book, Aşkın said. “But I don’t believe the trajectory of his creative output mirrors his personal life. Art is greater than life. A composer’s musical expression is not necessarily reflective of his biography. Mozart had a miserable life, but his music is almost sunny and optimistic.”
Gomidas’s famous song ‘Groong’
During the concert, Arzruni and Aşkın will also interpret world-renowned Armenian composer Khachaturian’s works. “Gomidas is the wellspring of Armenian music; Khachaturian is the musical ambassador of Armenian culture,” said Arzruni.
“The musical aim here is to compare and contrast the two creative forces. Cihat and I will present a number of original Khachaturian compositions and perform virtuosic transcriptions of three of Gomidas’ songs, including his famous ‘Groong’ [Crane]. The latter was arranged for violin and piano by cellist Sergei Aslamazyan, who was a founding member of the Gomidas String Quartet, the oldest existing chamber ensemble in the world,” Arzruni said. “I will play a number of stylized folk dances Gomidas collected and later arranged for piano. There are dances from historic Armenia, including those from Muş, Erzurum, and Yerevan.”
Gomidas was instrumental in researching music from across Anatolia. While he escaped death in the events of 1915, he lost his mental health after witnessing the murder of a number of friends. He died in an asylum in Paris in 1935.
October/12/2012
EUROPE > FM ‘warm’ toward Greeks from Istanbul
ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has a favorable view of the demands of Greeks from Istanbul now residing in Greece, according to a related community group that recently met with Turkey’s top diplomat in Athens.
“The meeting was very positive. But there was not enough time to analyze these topics,” the chairperson of the Universal Federation of Greeks from Istanbul based in Athens, Nikolas Uzunoğlu, told the Hürriyet Daily News following his group’s Oct. 10 meeting with Davutoğlu in Athens.
“This meeting was a surprise,” said Uzunoğlu, adding that requested another meeting with Davutoğlu in Ankara.
Return of citizenship right
One of the federation’s main demands is the return of the right to hold dual citizenship for third-generation Greeks, descendants of those who had to leave Turkey without completing their compulsory military service due to the painful incidents experienced in the 1960s. Asked whether the issues were too sensitive for Turkey, Uzunoğlu said he did not believe they were. “We demand our rights like any other citizen.”
During them meeting, the group also demanded financial support for court costs for those who resorted to judicial means to recover property they had to abandon, Turkish-language courses for those who return, as well as the establishment of education and research institutes for returning scientists.
The federation recently sent a file containing the same demands to Ankara. Uzunoğlu said Davutoğlu told the federation to maintain contact with Turkish Ambassador to Greece Kerim Uras and retired Ambassador Hasan Göğüş on the issues.
October/12/2012
ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News/Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has a favorable view of the demands of Greeks from Istanbul now residing in Greece, according to a related community group that recently met with Turkey’s top diplomat in Athens.
“The meeting was very positive. But there was not enough time to analyze these topics,” the chairperson of the Universal Federation of Greeks from Istanbul based in Athens, Nikolas Uzunoğlu, told the Hürriyet Daily News following his group’s Oct. 10 meeting with Davutoğlu in Athens.
“This meeting was a surprise,” said Uzunoğlu, adding that requested another meeting with Davutoğlu in Ankara.
Return of citizenship right
One of the federation’s main demands is the return of the right to hold dual citizenship for third-generation Greeks, descendants of those who had to leave Turkey without completing their compulsory military service due to the painful incidents experienced in the 1960s. Asked whether the issues were too sensitive for Turkey, Uzunoğlu said he did not believe they were. “We demand our rights like any other citizen.”
During them meeting, the group also demanded financial support for court costs for those who resorted to judicial means to recover property they had to abandon, Turkish-language courses for those who return, as well as the establishment of education and research institutes for returning scientists.
The federation recently sent a file containing the same demands to Ankara. Uzunoğlu said Davutoğlu told the federation to maintain contact with Turkish Ambassador to Greece Kerim Uras and retired Ambassador Hasan Göğüş on the issues.
October/12/2012
FM meets Greeks from Istanbul
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News / Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu held a meeting in Athens late yesterday with the chairperson of the Universal Federation of Greeks from Istanbul based in Athens, Nikolas Uzunoğlu, together with a 40-person delegation.
Federation representatives voiced a number of demands during the meeting, including the return of the right to hold double citizenship for third generation Greeks, descendants of those who had to leave Turkey after the painful incidents experienced decades after the founding of the Turkish Republic.
Other demands were for financial support for court costs for those who resort to judicial means for the recovery of property they had to leave behind, Turkish language courses to be provided for those who return, support for those who want to found their own companies, and the setting up of education and research institutes for returning scientists.
The federation recently sent a file containing the same items to Ankara. According to foreign ministry officials, the file arrived at the ministry on Oct. 2. The head of the federation, Nikolas Uzunoğlu, told the Hürriyet Daily News that they had also taken the issue to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, EU Minister Egemen Bağış and main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
“The wish of Istanbul Greeks to return has nothing to do with the economic crisis in Greece. These people had to leave this land because they were forced to. The [Turkish] media portrays them as if they are ‘opportunists,’ but this is a huge injustice,” Uzunoğlu said, adding that the majority of Istanbul Greeks had lost their Turkish citizenship because they did not fulfill their military service obligations.
State assistance is mainly being sought on property issues, he said: “In the late 1950s and during the 1960s, the political atmosphere in the country forced some people to leave the country and leave their property behind. We are trying to reach these people through court notices. A nongovernmental organization could be set up and the court costs of these people could be funded through this NGO.”
Young people in Istanbul
Despite the fact that those who had to leave Turkey never came back, curiosity about Istanbul is huge among the third generation. Marina Drimalitou, 29, started living in Istanbul a few years ago and currently works at RUMVADER, where Greek foundations are managed under one umbrella. For the last three years, she said, several of her friends from Greece have come to Istanbul to study or to work.
“The older generation thinks we are bolder than they are. Even though they oppose us coming here, we also feel that they envy that we were able to come to Istanbul. Despite all their opposition, the love for Istanbul in their hearts is very big,” Drimalitou said.
Haris Rigas, 30, who is a doctoral candidate in the Political Sciences department at Bosphorus University, also works as an editor at the publishing house ISTOS, which publishes books in Greek. Rigas said Greek citizens living in Istanbul faced many obstacles.
“There are obstacles to buying property for Greek and Israeli citizens. Also, if I marry, I would not be able to send my child to an Istanbul-Greek school because I am a Greek citizen. There are other significant problems similar to these. However, in the event that rights are restored and conditions improve, the number of those returning will undoubtedly increase,” Rigas said.
October/11/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News / Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu held a meeting in Athens late yesterday with the chairperson of the Universal Federation of Greeks from Istanbul based in Athens, Nikolas Uzunoğlu, together with a 40-person delegation.
Federation representatives voiced a number of demands during the meeting, including the return of the right to hold double citizenship for third generation Greeks, descendants of those who had to leave Turkey after the painful incidents experienced decades after the founding of the Turkish Republic.
Other demands were for financial support for court costs for those who resort to judicial means for the recovery of property they had to leave behind, Turkish language courses to be provided for those who return, support for those who want to found their own companies, and the setting up of education and research institutes for returning scientists.
The federation recently sent a file containing the same items to Ankara. According to foreign ministry officials, the file arrived at the ministry on Oct. 2. The head of the federation, Nikolas Uzunoğlu, told the Hürriyet Daily News that they had also taken the issue to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, EU Minister Egemen Bağış and main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
“The wish of Istanbul Greeks to return has nothing to do with the economic crisis in Greece. These people had to leave this land because they were forced to. The [Turkish] media portrays them as if they are ‘opportunists,’ but this is a huge injustice,” Uzunoğlu said, adding that the majority of Istanbul Greeks had lost their Turkish citizenship because they did not fulfill their military service obligations.
State assistance is mainly being sought on property issues, he said: “In the late 1950s and during the 1960s, the political atmosphere in the country forced some people to leave the country and leave their property behind. We are trying to reach these people through court notices. A nongovernmental organization could be set up and the court costs of these people could be funded through this NGO.”
Young people in Istanbul
Despite the fact that those who had to leave Turkey never came back, curiosity about Istanbul is huge among the third generation. Marina Drimalitou, 29, started living in Istanbul a few years ago and currently works at RUMVADER, where Greek foundations are managed under one umbrella. For the last three years, she said, several of her friends from Greece have come to Istanbul to study or to work.
“The older generation thinks we are bolder than they are. Even though they oppose us coming here, we also feel that they envy that we were able to come to Istanbul. Despite all their opposition, the love for Istanbul in their hearts is very big,” Drimalitou said.
Haris Rigas, 30, who is a doctoral candidate in the Political Sciences department at Bosphorus University, also works as an editor at the publishing house ISTOS, which publishes books in Greek. Rigas said Greek citizens living in Istanbul faced many obstacles.
“There are obstacles to buying property for Greek and Israeli citizens. Also, if I marry, I would not be able to send my child to an Istanbul-Greek school because I am a Greek citizen. There are other significant problems similar to these. However, in the event that rights are restored and conditions improve, the number of those returning will undoubtedly increase,” Rigas said.
October/11/2012
Armenian Church decides to end blessing mixed marriages
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News / Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Armenian Patriarchate restarts regulations which nix the blessing and the church wedding for the mixed marriages. Decision stirs debate in the Armenian community
Murat Kaspar (groom), who married a Muslim Turk last month with a church wedding, said the church’s decision stemmed from a desire to protect the community and its traditions amid the country’s shrinking Armenian population.
The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey has restarted implementing regulations in regards to mixed marriages, under which Armenians marrying a person of a different religion will no longer receive a blessing or be permitted to conduct a church wedding.
The permission for a church wedding for mixed marriages started in 2000 with Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan’s approval, but the move sparked debate within the community.
“We are putting into practice a law that already exists in our church. I do not want to make any other statement than this,” acting Patriarch Aram Ateşyan told the Hürriyet Daily News regarding the latest move.
The new regulation went into effect Oct. 1.
Armenians in mixed marriages, as well as those from the community engaged to non-Armenians, gave partial support to the patriarchate but also expressed criticism on the matter.
Murat Kaspar, a 36-year-old design editor at daily Dünya who married a Muslim Turk last month, said the church’s decision stemmed from a desire to protect the community and its traditions amid the country’s shrinking Armenian population.
“I do not think this decision is right. To have a church wedding is a tradition. If those couples who will get married respect each other’s beliefs, then this should not be prevented. I oppose conservatism,” he said.
Zakarya Mildanoğlu, a prominent member of the Armenian community, married a Muslim Turkish woman 35 years ago. “We had to go through extreme difficulties. Even though my wife converted to my religion, our children were not baptized,” he said.
Feeling restricted
“Despite all the difficulties, I have not even for one moment thought about taking a step back. Fortunately, I married my wife. If I had married an Armenian, I don’t know if I would have been this happy. It was my mother, not us, who experienced sadness. She was very sad that the church refused to baptize the children,” Mildanoğlu said.
‘I feel restricted’
Kristin, 33, who did not want to disclose her last name, is set to marry a Muslim Turk. While she said she understood that the measures were designed to protect the community, she also said she was against the practice.
“The decision the patriarchate made seems wrong to me; I feel like I am restricted. I even want to hide my last name while I’m talking to you because my family and some of my close friends do not know about my relationship,” she said. “I’m afraid of community pressure.”
Kristin said the choice of two people and their respect for each other were more important than anything else, while criticizing the failure to bless the Muslim spouse in the church.
“Couples cannot get married the way they wish to. Their marriages are not accepted but their children are baptized. This is a controversy,” she said.
But Anahid, 28, said she agreed with the patriarchate. “The regulations of the Armenian Church and the community are definite and they should be respected. The patriarchate is not inventing a new practice. They are putting into practice one that already exists. There is a serious increase in mixed marriages. The population, traditions and the culture should be protected.” k HDN
October/11/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News / Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Armenian Patriarchate restarts regulations which nix the blessing and the church wedding for the mixed marriages. Decision stirs debate in the Armenian community
Murat Kaspar (groom), who married a Muslim Turk last month with a church wedding, said the church’s decision stemmed from a desire to protect the community and its traditions amid the country’s shrinking Armenian population.
The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey has restarted implementing regulations in regards to mixed marriages, under which Armenians marrying a person of a different religion will no longer receive a blessing or be permitted to conduct a church wedding.
The permission for a church wedding for mixed marriages started in 2000 with Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan’s approval, but the move sparked debate within the community.
“We are putting into practice a law that already exists in our church. I do not want to make any other statement than this,” acting Patriarch Aram Ateşyan told the Hürriyet Daily News regarding the latest move.
The new regulation went into effect Oct. 1.
Armenians in mixed marriages, as well as those from the community engaged to non-Armenians, gave partial support to the patriarchate but also expressed criticism on the matter.
Murat Kaspar, a 36-year-old design editor at daily Dünya who married a Muslim Turk last month, said the church’s decision stemmed from a desire to protect the community and its traditions amid the country’s shrinking Armenian population.
“I do not think this decision is right. To have a church wedding is a tradition. If those couples who will get married respect each other’s beliefs, then this should not be prevented. I oppose conservatism,” he said.
Zakarya Mildanoğlu, a prominent member of the Armenian community, married a Muslim Turkish woman 35 years ago. “We had to go through extreme difficulties. Even though my wife converted to my religion, our children were not baptized,” he said.
Feeling restricted
“Despite all the difficulties, I have not even for one moment thought about taking a step back. Fortunately, I married my wife. If I had married an Armenian, I don’t know if I would have been this happy. It was my mother, not us, who experienced sadness. She was very sad that the church refused to baptize the children,” Mildanoğlu said.
‘I feel restricted’
Kristin, 33, who did not want to disclose her last name, is set to marry a Muslim Turk. While she said she understood that the measures were designed to protect the community, she also said she was against the practice.
“The decision the patriarchate made seems wrong to me; I feel like I am restricted. I even want to hide my last name while I’m talking to you because my family and some of my close friends do not know about my relationship,” she said. “I’m afraid of community pressure.”
Kristin said the choice of two people and their respect for each other were more important than anything else, while criticizing the failure to bless the Muslim spouse in the church.
“Couples cannot get married the way they wish to. Their marriages are not accepted but their children are baptized. This is a controversy,” she said.
But Anahid, 28, said she agreed with the patriarchate. “The regulations of the Armenian Church and the community are definite and they should be respected. The patriarchate is not inventing a new practice. They are putting into practice one that already exists. There is a serious increase in mixed marriages. The population, traditions and the culture should be protected.” k HDN
October/11/2012
9 Ekim 2012 Salı
MIDEAST > Syriacs join opposition to topple al-Assad government
Vercihan Ziflioğlu - ISTANBUL
European Syriac Union’s Turkey representative Çelik (L) and Ishak, the Syriac National Council head, says they are carrying out a mutual fight against al Assad’s dictatorship.
A group of Syrian Syriacs have thrown their support behind the struggle against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by forming an agreement with the leading representatives of the Syrian opposition, the Syrian National Council (SNC). In the agreement a democratic Syria is demanded, in which all peoples would have equal rights and could alternately come into power after the al-Assad regime falls.
Representatives of the Damascus-based Syriac National Council and the Brussels-based European Syriac Union said a part of the Syriac community stood with opponents against the al-Assad regime according to the agreement they had made with opposition groups like the SNC.
Bassam-Said Ishak, the Syriac National Council head, and the European Syriac Union’s Turkey representative Tuma Çelik, both prominent figures supporting the opponents in Syria, spoke to the Hürriyet Daily News about the reasons for their allying with opponents to the Syrian regime. “As all the people of Syria, including Christians, Muslims, Sunnis, Kurds and Alevis, we are carrying out a mutual fight for the fall of al-Assad’s dictatorship and for the acquisition of freedom and equal rights. The opposition movement is regarded as a Muslim-Sunni movement, which is a great mistake,” Ishak said.
“We are standing for the first time with Turkey, which supports the opponents,” Çelik said. “Turkey not only regards the opponents as a Sunni movement, but also tries to represent it as an anti-Alevi one. This perception that they have tried to impose worries us, since we, as opponents, are struggling for a mutual ideal,” Çelik said, criticizing Turkey’s attitude.
“If any party steps back, then they would face our opposition. We struggle not only for the fall of the al-Assad regime, but also for the future of Syria democracy. We stand against anyone who blocks our way,” Ishak said, when asked what if the agreement will lose its validity after al-Assad’s fall.
October/09/2012
Vercihan Ziflioğlu - ISTANBUL
European Syriac Union’s Turkey representative Çelik (L) and Ishak, the Syriac National Council head, says they are carrying out a mutual fight against al Assad’s dictatorship.
A group of Syrian Syriacs have thrown their support behind the struggle against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by forming an agreement with the leading representatives of the Syrian opposition, the Syrian National Council (SNC). In the agreement a democratic Syria is demanded, in which all peoples would have equal rights and could alternately come into power after the al-Assad regime falls.
Representatives of the Damascus-based Syriac National Council and the Brussels-based European Syriac Union said a part of the Syriac community stood with opponents against the al-Assad regime according to the agreement they had made with opposition groups like the SNC.
Bassam-Said Ishak, the Syriac National Council head, and the European Syriac Union’s Turkey representative Tuma Çelik, both prominent figures supporting the opponents in Syria, spoke to the Hürriyet Daily News about the reasons for their allying with opponents to the Syrian regime. “As all the people of Syria, including Christians, Muslims, Sunnis, Kurds and Alevis, we are carrying out a mutual fight for the fall of al-Assad’s dictatorship and for the acquisition of freedom and equal rights. The opposition movement is regarded as a Muslim-Sunni movement, which is a great mistake,” Ishak said.
“We are standing for the first time with Turkey, which supports the opponents,” Çelik said. “Turkey not only regards the opponents as a Sunni movement, but also tries to represent it as an anti-Alevi one. This perception that they have tried to impose worries us, since we, as opponents, are struggling for a mutual ideal,” Çelik said, criticizing Turkey’s attitude.
“If any party steps back, then they would face our opposition. We struggle not only for the fall of the al-Assad regime, but also for the future of Syria democracy. We stand against anyone who blocks our way,” Ishak said, when asked what if the agreement will lose its validity after al-Assad’s fall.
October/09/2012
5 Ekim 2012 Cuma
Syriacs form group in Swiss to make their voices heard
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Syriac Orthodox community prays at the Orthodox monastery in Mardin in this file photo. AFP photo
Vercihan Ziflioğlu vercihan.ziflioglu@hurriyet.com.tr
Twelve Syriac lawmakers in the Swiss Parliament have come together to establish a group that aims to make the voice of Syriacs heard. The group, named “Schweiz Suryoye” (Switzerland Syriacs) will aim to bring the problems of the Syriacs in Turkey and the Middle East to the agenda, Rima Tüzün, the head of foreign affairs at the Brussels-based European Syriac Union told the Hürriyet Daily News. “The main objective of the group is to distribute information about the cultural, communal and social situation of the Syriacs in their native countries [Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Lebanon],” said Tüzün. “This is the first time MPs have come together politically in a group for our people and therefore this group is a historic step for us,” said Tüzün. “The Syriacs are not yet united and do not have a powerful voice ... The Syriacs have a chance to regain their rights,” he added.
October/03/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Syriac Orthodox community prays at the Orthodox monastery in Mardin in this file photo. AFP photo
Vercihan Ziflioğlu vercihan.ziflioglu@hurriyet.com.tr
Twelve Syriac lawmakers in the Swiss Parliament have come together to establish a group that aims to make the voice of Syriacs heard. The group, named “Schweiz Suryoye” (Switzerland Syriacs) will aim to bring the problems of the Syriacs in Turkey and the Middle East to the agenda, Rima Tüzün, the head of foreign affairs at the Brussels-based European Syriac Union told the Hürriyet Daily News. “The main objective of the group is to distribute information about the cultural, communal and social situation of the Syriacs in their native countries [Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Lebanon],” said Tüzün. “This is the first time MPs have come together politically in a group for our people and therefore this group is a historic step for us,” said Tüzün. “The Syriacs are not yet united and do not have a powerful voice ... The Syriacs have a chance to regain their rights,” he added.
October/03/2012
2 Ekim 2012 Salı
Exhibition reflects press history
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News / Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A new exhibition showcases the rich history of the Greek press in Istanbul during the time of the Ottoman Empire. Organized by the International Federation of Istanbul Greeks living abroad, the exhibition includes documents collected from the archives of the Greek Parliament and Hakkı Tarık Us Library Collection
According to Nikos Uzunoğlu, Federation of Istanbul Greeks living abroad proposed the idea of hosting the exhibition to other institutions, but received only negative answers.
Representing the history of Istanbul’s Greek press, which was active during the Ottoman Empire, the exhibition “Greek Publishers and Journalists living in abroad in Istanbul’s Press History from 1830 to 1914” will run until Oct. 11 at the Turkish Journalists Association in Çemberlitaş.
The exhibition contains documents collected from the archives of the Greek Parliament and Hakkı Tarık Us Library Collection, which belongs to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The exhibition showcases the first journals published in Istanbul, columns about censorship, original newspapers written in Greek and Ottoman Turkish and video projections. The exhibition has been organized by the International Federation of Istanbul Greeks living abroad to spread awareness of Greek history in Turkey.
Aim of the exhibition
“With this exhibition we aim to represent the wealth of Istanbul’s Greek press and its contributions to the Turkish media,” the federation’s head Nikos Uzunoğlu said.
The exhibition only covered the press of Istanbul’s Greeks and did not include documents of Anatolian Greek press, Uzunoğlu said. “The exhibition covers the period between 1830 and 1914. We wanted to focus on the period which we call “Hope Period,” during which the Ottoman state had the possibility of passing into a multicultural and democratic system,” Uzunoğlu said.
According to Uzunoğlu, the federation proposed the idea of hosting the exhibition to other institutions, but received only negative answers. “I am pleased that the Turkish Journalists Association hosts this exhibition,” Uzunoğlu said.
He noted that the history of the Greek press, which gained acceleration in the 1830s, rapidly progressed at the time of the Ottoman Empire when newspapers in international standards began to be published. As an example, he gave the newspaper “Neo-Logos” (New Language). “’Neo-Logos’ gave place to analysis from the world press and also made political interpretations. The content of its articles was rich,” he said.
Uzunoğlu said the Ottoman Nation System’s effects on press could be clearly seen in the archives. “Until the First Constitutionalist Period there was a liberal atmosphere. After that, the newspapers were exposed to the pressure of censorship mechanism. It is possible to see all these processes at the exhibition,” he said.
“Istanbul’s press was much more advanced than Greece’s”
Two Greek newspapers named “Apoyevmatini” and “IHO” are currently struggling to exist in Istanbul, Uzunoğlu said.
“Since the 1950s minorities have been regarded as potential enemies. Within this period, journalism became more difficult than it was in the Ottoman period.
Greeks began to immigrate. In past, there were about 5,000 journals printed in Istanbul. This exhibition will show the rich political and cultural past of Greek society during the 19th and 20th centuries.
It was not even possible to compare the Istanbul’s Greeks press with the press in Greece during that same time.
Istanbul was much more advanced than Greece in this regard. Not only were newspapers and journals being published, but also periodicals for children and women were being published. This shows that the Greeks are a bourgeois urban society,” Uzunoğlu said.
October/02/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News / Vercihan Ziflioğlu
A new exhibition showcases the rich history of the Greek press in Istanbul during the time of the Ottoman Empire. Organized by the International Federation of Istanbul Greeks living abroad, the exhibition includes documents collected from the archives of the Greek Parliament and Hakkı Tarık Us Library Collection
According to Nikos Uzunoğlu, Federation of Istanbul Greeks living abroad proposed the idea of hosting the exhibition to other institutions, but received only negative answers.
Representing the history of Istanbul’s Greek press, which was active during the Ottoman Empire, the exhibition “Greek Publishers and Journalists living in abroad in Istanbul’s Press History from 1830 to 1914” will run until Oct. 11 at the Turkish Journalists Association in Çemberlitaş.
The exhibition contains documents collected from the archives of the Greek Parliament and Hakkı Tarık Us Library Collection, which belongs to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The exhibition showcases the first journals published in Istanbul, columns about censorship, original newspapers written in Greek and Ottoman Turkish and video projections. The exhibition has been organized by the International Federation of Istanbul Greeks living abroad to spread awareness of Greek history in Turkey.
Aim of the exhibition
“With this exhibition we aim to represent the wealth of Istanbul’s Greek press and its contributions to the Turkish media,” the federation’s head Nikos Uzunoğlu said.
The exhibition only covered the press of Istanbul’s Greeks and did not include documents of Anatolian Greek press, Uzunoğlu said. “The exhibition covers the period between 1830 and 1914. We wanted to focus on the period which we call “Hope Period,” during which the Ottoman state had the possibility of passing into a multicultural and democratic system,” Uzunoğlu said.
According to Uzunoğlu, the federation proposed the idea of hosting the exhibition to other institutions, but received only negative answers. “I am pleased that the Turkish Journalists Association hosts this exhibition,” Uzunoğlu said.
He noted that the history of the Greek press, which gained acceleration in the 1830s, rapidly progressed at the time of the Ottoman Empire when newspapers in international standards began to be published. As an example, he gave the newspaper “Neo-Logos” (New Language). “’Neo-Logos’ gave place to analysis from the world press and also made political interpretations. The content of its articles was rich,” he said.
Uzunoğlu said the Ottoman Nation System’s effects on press could be clearly seen in the archives. “Until the First Constitutionalist Period there was a liberal atmosphere. After that, the newspapers were exposed to the pressure of censorship mechanism. It is possible to see all these processes at the exhibition,” he said.
“Istanbul’s press was much more advanced than Greece’s”
Two Greek newspapers named “Apoyevmatini” and “IHO” are currently struggling to exist in Istanbul, Uzunoğlu said.
“Since the 1950s minorities have been regarded as potential enemies. Within this period, journalism became more difficult than it was in the Ottoman period.
Greeks began to immigrate. In past, there were about 5,000 journals printed in Istanbul. This exhibition will show the rich political and cultural past of Greek society during the 19th and 20th centuries.
It was not even possible to compare the Istanbul’s Greeks press with the press in Greece during that same time.
Istanbul was much more advanced than Greece in this regard. Not only were newspapers and journals being published, but also periodicals for children and women were being published. This shows that the Greeks are a bourgeois urban society,” Uzunoğlu said.
October/02/2012
Fener Greek patriarch 'feels sorrow' over protests
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News / Vercihan Ziflioğlu
The patriarch says he felt sorrow for a lack of consideration for religious differences.
Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew has released a statement regarding the protests and violence around the world after the release of the “Innocence of Muslims” trailer.
The patriarch said he felt “profound sorrow that the world has rushed into a confusing and volatile
time of religious protests turning violent, and a grievous lack of consideration for religious differences,” in the declaration.
“Symbols are external representations to which all people connect their own internal meaning and values. In developing an understanding of the symbols, we come to understand the person. To destroy symbols is to inflict pain on the people who honor those symbols and the traditions they represent in their heart.”
Bartholomew called all humanity to adopt a “radical conversion of attitudes, habits and practices” and to attain a level of commitment where they are “open to sharing all things with all people.” The anti-Islam movie has sparked angry and violent demonstrations across the Middle East. At least 21 people were killed and hunderds of people wounded during the demonstrations.
October/02/2012
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News / Vercihan Ziflioğlu
The patriarch says he felt sorrow for a lack of consideration for religious differences.
Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew has released a statement regarding the protests and violence around the world after the release of the “Innocence of Muslims” trailer.
The patriarch said he felt “profound sorrow that the world has rushed into a confusing and volatile
time of religious protests turning violent, and a grievous lack of consideration for religious differences,” in the declaration.
“Symbols are external representations to which all people connect their own internal meaning and values. In developing an understanding of the symbols, we come to understand the person. To destroy symbols is to inflict pain on the people who honor those symbols and the traditions they represent in their heart.”
Bartholomew called all humanity to adopt a “radical conversion of attitudes, habits and practices” and to attain a level of commitment where they are “open to sharing all things with all people.” The anti-Islam movie has sparked angry and violent demonstrations across the Middle East. At least 21 people were killed and hunderds of people wounded during the demonstrations.
October/02/2012
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