Established to be an effective leading reference university in the maritime world by making breakthroughs and achieving firsts in the respective field, and being aware of the crucial role of marine history in steering the wheel of maritime studies towards the future, University of Kyrenia has opened the Levant Maritime History Exhibition with a grand ceremony.
According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of the University of Kyrenia, TR Nicosia Ambassador Halil İbrahim Akça, NEU Founding Rector Dr. Suat İ. Günsel, University of Kyrenia Founding Rector Cemre S. Günsel Haskasap, NEU Board of Trustees Chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel, University of Kyrenia Board of Trustees Chairman Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu, NEU Rector Prof. Dr. Umit Hassan, senior staff and faculty members of both universities as well as the citizens participated the opening ceremony.
In his opening remarks, the Director of Near East Institute Asst. Prof. Dr. Umut Koldaş stated that Levant was a geographical region defined by natural frontiers, encompassing the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. “Levant is the socio-economic, political and cultural geography of the civilizations that internalized the spirit of sea and maritime. Levant history is also a history of multicultural civilizations. It is the history of the civilizations that influenced each other and mingled in certain points in the cultural overlap of the Mediterranean”.
Levant Maritime History Exhibition is a visual and intellectual homage
Koldaş: “In this sense, Levant Maritime History Exhibition is a visual and intellectual homage for the historical and cultural heritage of all the civilizations that make up the ideational accumulation and cultural spirit of the Mediterranean. It is a sincere and hearty greeting sending to this cultural heritage from the heart of Mediterranean, Cyprus. Valuable exhibitions like this one are very important for us. As Near East Institute, we consider such distinguished exhibitions as an integral component of our lifelong learning philosophy and we coordinate them. Levant Maritime History Exhibition will play an active role with regard to lifelong learning with a human centered concept. Cyprus Antique Maps and Piri Reis exhibitions that we coordinated in recent years attracted the interest of our people as well as the foreigners maintaining their professional or educational lives in Cyprus. We believe that Levant Maritime History Exhibition will also attract the same or further interest. At this point, I would like to extend my hearty thanks to our curator Ali Rıza İşipek, my vice director Erhan Ayaz, archivist Erdi Şafak, NEU Faculty of Communication, and all respective units of the University of Kyrenia and Near East University for their contributions. Like the other exhibitions that we organized before, I hope this exhibition will also leave smooth traces relevant to Levant on the intellectual and visual memories of the visitors. I hope, this journey to the past will be a source of inspiration that triggers our intellectual awakening required for a more conscious look into the future of the region”.
Delivering further information on Levant Maritime History Exhibition of the University of Kyrenia, curator Ali Rıza İşipek spoke of. “This exhibition has come into being as a result of precious studies lasting more than a year. The noteworthy marine artifacts and documents which are the core collections of the exhibition have been collected through careful archival studies. The exhibition features 15 original oil painting artifacts, 5 hand painted Iznic ceramics, 5 ship models and 25 engravings belonging to Levant region. “Uluburun” is the largest ship model at the exhibition that dated to the late 14th Century BC, 900 years older and much more important than the wreck known as Kyrenia shipwreck. We particularly want to present it to public attention since it is the model of a shipwreck carrying cooper ingots extracted from Cyprus. Levant is a geographical term that defines a vast area in the Eastern Mediterranean in the historical process. Cyprus itself is a significant part of the Levant region. By exhibiting the heritage of Levant region at an institution that undertaken training mission within the university, we aim to convey the maritime culture especially to new generations, to provide them information on the history of Cyprus which is located on the oldest and most important marine trade routes, and to introduce the importance of seas for mankind. Nowadays, in Europe as well as all over the world, museums are not just premises that preserve archaeological works and objects, each of them is also considered as an educational institution. Students are usually provided with visual training opportunities offered by museums. Museums pose a place where history and mystery come alive, a place where imagination and creativity are tangible. When we approach the issues within the frame of a maritime museum, we encounter with many issues spreading in a wide spectrum that certainly need to be exhibited. I strongly believe that this exhibition will provide the visitors including students with adequate information regarding the history of Levant region.
Prof. Dr. Ilkay Salihoğlu, Chairman of Board of Trustees of the University of Kyrenia “Levant Maritime History Exhibition” means a lot by its name. Levant is the Eastern Mediterranean region where Cyprus located in the center.
Levant Maritime History is the Maritime History of the world
“Levant is the center of the world civilizations. Hence, those, who organized this exhibition, have actually introduced us the World Maritime History. The maritime of our day owes its history and civilization to Levant. If Levant history hadn’t been in existence, the world maritime would not have reached its present level. Since it corresponds the signing date of the protocol envisaging cooperation between the University of Kyrenia and TUBITAK on scientific research in Levant seas, today also has a distinguished importance. Including this exhibition and the other exhibitions held last year with the support of our Founding Rector, our exhibitions are becoming events that organized on a traditional basis. I know that these distinguished activities will continue. Enjoy the exhibition” said Salihoğlu.
NEU Board of Trustees Chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel: “Being the center of many ancient major empires such as Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman, the Mediterranean had not only housed these empires but also served as the main bridge leading the development and spreading of the civilizations flourishing its around. Levant is the geographical region encompassing the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea which were the scene of major battles in the history. Anatolia, Egypt, and Mesopotamia with the world’s most fertile lands are located in the Levant. Due to human movements, the Levant became one of the most important and crowded center of many critical events throughout the historical process. It had the fortune, or misfortune, of being a bridge or at the least a highway between these competing regions. In context, this fact largely determined its role in history. Located in the center of this region, which had been the cradle of civilizations since ancient times, the inhabitants on the island of Cyprus had been reconciled with sea at all times throughout history as a natural result of living on an island and benefited from the bounties of the sea in the field of fishing, transportation and commerce. The maritime activities that carried out for centuries in the Eastern Mediterranean and on the island of Cyprus have continued to develop so far and provided a rich cultural heritage along with it”.
Günsel: NEU and University of Kyrenia continue to contribute to the social and cultural life of TRNC
Günsel: “As Near East University and University of Kyrenia, we are committed to maintaining and improving the cultural heritage that inherited to us and creating awareness on the beloved people of the island on this issue. To this end, as NEU and University of Kyrenia, we generate social responsibility projects every year and organize various activities open to public visit in order to provide contribution to social and cultural life of TRNC. By attaching the utmost importance in these activities, we have been realizing all our work enthusiastically and carefully. Every step taken to maintain and improve our cultural heritage adds value to our island and this makes us pride and happy. We Cypriots are extremely lucky as we live a life intertwined with the sea on such a beautiful island. However, this natural fortune attaches certain responsibilities on us. We have to maintain the natural, historical and cultural attractions of our island as well as the bounties of our seas. We have to convey these values with their natural beauty to the next generations. Near East University along with University of Kyrenia has been conducting many activities that add value to Cyprus in many aspects. Each day we add something new to our activities. We are taking concrete steps towards our goal of making Cyprus a center where islanders can obtain all their needs easily. Culture is an important concept that adds value to our island. As the people of the island, we should support innovations and developments. We should know the importance of every effort aimed at this goal and we need to contribute by adding new attempts. In this way, we can improve our cultural heritage and take it a step further. To this end, the works regarding the establishment of our maritime museum that initiated last year are ongoing. The maritime museum is projected to be opened in 2016.
In 2014, we have made the decision regarding the opening of serial thematic exhibitions in order to introduce our extremely rich maritime culture to our people. Within this scope, we realized the exhibitions regarding Piri Reis and Ancient Cyprus Maps in 2014. Many local and foreign people visited these exhibitions. The great interest received by our exhibitions made us quite happy.
Günsel: Çanakkale Naval Victory exhibition will be exhibited at Rahmi Koç Museum
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Çanakkale Naval Victory, Günsel gave the good news by stating that Çanakkale Naval Victory Exhibition would be displayed at Rahmi Koç Museum in Istanbul for 3 months starting from March.
New projects and maritime exhibitions will continue without pausing
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Günsel: “Our maritime cultural heritage is an issue of great importance and value. Seas are the most valuable heritage to us. As Near East University and University of Kyrenia, we have strong ideals and contemporary vision on a global scale. A wide range of studies are being carried out on local, regional and global basis. We are committed to contributing the maritime culture of our country by carrying out research and unearth historical facts. For 2015, we have planned the opening of a series of thematic exhibitions related to maritime cultural heritage. We are inaugurating the Levant Maritime History Exhibition today. This exhibition is the first step of this approach. Five more exhibitions with different themes, of which preparations are ongoing, will follow this exhibition. Levant Maritime History Exhibition with its rich collection will give visitors a different experience. Like the previous exhibitions that held last year, we believe that Levant Maritime History Exhibition, which is the product of rigorous and exhaustive studies lasting more than a year, will be appreciated by large mass of people and will contribute to particularly young generations to get more closely acquainted with the sea, which is an important part of our lives.
At this point, I would like to extend my appreciations to the exhibition coordinator Asst. Prof. Dr. Umut Koldaş and his vice director Erhan Ayaz, our curator Ali Rıza İşipek and all respective units of the University of Kyrenia and Near East University for their contributions”.
Akça, TR Ambassador to Nicosia,: The University by virtue of its exhibitions, museums, social and cultural activities has almost become a social center
Touching upon the significance of contributions provided to education and our country by the Near East University along with the University of Kyrenia, Ambassador Akça spoke of: “Such activities that carried out by NEU and University of Kyrenia not only enrich education and training but also contribute to the society through their cultural, social and artistic dimensions. I have always appreciated the family of Near East University in this regard. The university by virtue of its exhibitions, museums, social and cultural activities has become almost a social center of attraction. In terms of maritime, history and noteworthy artifacts abound in Cyprus. I extend my congratulations to the researchers conducting such a study in an era where the Eastern Mediterranean is in the agenda to such an extent. I also congratulate the University of Kyrenia as well as its administrative staff who have such a vast horizon in education. I also appreciate the effort which might exploit its potential to turn into a maritime museum in future”.
Following the speeches, NEU Board of Trustees Chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel presented a plaque to the exhibition curator Ali Rıza İşipek. The founding Rector of University of Kyrenia, Cemre S. Günsel Haskasap presented an engraving to TR Nicosia Ambassador Halil Ibrahim Akça.
Following the opening remarks and presentation of plaques, the red ribbon was cut and the invitees toured the exhibition.