In cooperation with the University of Kyrenia Foundation, the University of Kyrenia opened the Unknown Aspects of Çanakkale (Dardanelles) Naval War Exhibition that curated by the Director of Maritime History Research Center and the naval historian Ali Rıza İşipek.
According to a press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of the University of Kyrenia, all aspects of the naval war, artifacts including paintings and pictures of naval operation, ship models, dioramas, propaganda posters, linen and silk souvenir handkerchiefs woven in commemoration of the war, various objects, replicas with real dimensions of mines laid by Nusret Vessel and torpedoes fired by our torpedo boat destroyer Muavenet-i Milliye, Ottoman diagrams and maps and a variety of information boards take place in the Unknown Aspects of Çanakkale (Dardanelles) Naval War Exhibition, which was opened at campus of the University of Kyrenia due to the 101st anniversary of the event.
Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat İ. Günsel, University of Kyrenia Founding Rector Cemre Günsel Haskasap, Near East University Board of Trustees Chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel, University of Kyrenia acting Rector Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu, faculty members and students of the University of Kyrenia, UBP Chairman Hüseyin Özgürgün, TRNC former President Derviş Eroğlu, National Education Minister Kemal Dürüst, Tourism Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu, Environment and Culture Minister Kutlu Evren, MP Menteş Gündüz, MP Dursun Oğuz, İş Bank General Manager Adnan Ballı and guests were participated in the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
Ali Rıza İşipek: “A visual and intellectual homage from the University of Kyrenia to the unknown aspects of Çanakkale Naval Wars”
The Director of Maritime History Research Center and the naval historian Ali Rıza İşipek delivered the opening speech of the exhibition. In his opening remarks he extended his appreciations to the attending body for their participations. “Çanakkale Naval War is a unique example of defense war that generally identified with Seyit Onbaşı and Nusret. Çanakkale Victory has got a very distinguished place in our history. Çanakkale Naval War began before March 18 and lasted for months. March 18 was the breaking point of the war. The Ailed naval forces consisting of 18 battleships and numerous cruisers and destroyers forced their way up Çanakkale (Dardanelles) on March 18, 2015. The Ailed naval force shocked when French battleship Bouvet sank as it crashed a mine laid by Ottoman small minelayer Nusret. The other battleships ended up in the same way. Ailed naval forces that sailed in Çanakkale on March 18 never returned. The failure of the naval forces forced them to land troops on Gallipoli peninsula which led to long and bloody trench warfare. In one of his letters, Winston Churchill defined those mines as the reason for the prolonging of the war and the enormous casualties and said “We lost the war on the sea”. Today, we are opening this exhibition to show our public and visitors the Unknown Aspects of Çanakkale (Dardanelles) Naval War” said he.
Ali Rıza İşipek: “Exhibition features animation reflecting the war”
Touching upon the crucial role of animation in reflecting real time scenes from the war, Ali Rıza İşipek stated stat the exhibition was a profound and instructive one in terms of shedding light on unknown aspects of the Dardanelles naval wars. “The fight given particularly against the Allied submarines during the war is very striking. The British and French submarines faced severe limitation in Dardanelles where they were restricted by booms and extensive submarine netting laid down up to 70 meters depth of the sea. Thus, the Allied attempt at securing a passage through the Dardanelles to Marmara and Istanbul was unsuccessful at a cost of eight Allied submarines which were sunk in the waters of the strait. The Exhibition features this scene with an animation and presents it to its visitors. The exhibition also features the sinking of British Goliath with her crew by a torpedo fired by Muavenet-i Milliye of 650 GT and the sinking of Australian submarine AE2 by a torpedo fired by the Ottoman torpedo boat Sultanhisar.
Ali Rıza İşipek: “If Çanakkale (Dardanelles) naval wars hadn’t ended up with a victory, perhaps, the Republic of Turkey wouldn’t have been founded”
Underlining the importance of Çanakkale wars in shaping the future of Turkish nation, Mr. İşipek expressed his views. “Çanakkale victory reflects the legacy and heroism of our nation fighting shoulder to shoulder against the Allied forces. If Çanakkale Naval Wars hadn’t ended up with our victory, the Allied naval forces would have made their ways to Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire would have become a colony. In such a case, there would have been no need for land operation and Mustafa Kemal wouldn’t have appeared on the scene of history and perhaps, the Republic of Turkey wouldn’t have been founded” said he.
Mutlu Soykurt: “The Unknown Aspects of Çanakkale Naval War Exhibition is extremely significant in terms of reflecting the cultural and historical heritage and providing opportunity for the visitors to contribute such a social responsibility project by granting small amounts”
Voicing her pride of organizing such a significant event in cooperation with the University of Kyrenia, Mutlu Soykurt, the Director of the Foundation of University of Kyrenia, expressed his views regarding the issue: “Çanakkale Victory changed the course of history and directly shaped the future of Turkish nation. With its content, the exhibition features the unknown aspects of Dardanelles Naval War and sheds light on the history. We are proud of presenting such an exhibition which reflects all aspects of naval wars with a focused on the outstanding heroic saga realized by Turkish nation. In this context, the Unknown aspects of Çanakkale (Dardanelles) Naval War Exhibition is of great value and extremely significant in terms of reflecting the cultural and historical heritage and providing opportunity for visitors to contribute social responsibility by granting small amounts. All laboratories within the bodies of the vocational schools that affiliated with TRNC National Ministry of Education will be improved by using the income of the exhibition. As the Foundation of the University of Kyrenia, we are committed to generating such social responsibility projects and organizing activities open to public visit in order to provide contribution to cultural and social life of TRNC” said she.
Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu: “We are opening the exhibition of a heroic saga that proved the slogan “Çanakkale Impassable” to the whole world”
Underlining the significant place of Çanakkale Naval War in Turkish history, University of Kyrenia acting Rector Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu delivered information regarding the issue. “It is a well known fact that each nation has a page of pride in history. Exceptional nations have more pages of pride in their history. With no doubt that Turkish nation stands forefront with heroic sagas that makes us proud. Along with other victories, Çanakkale Victory is the most outstanding one as it has a crucial role in shaping the future of our nation. All moments of the war are full of unbelievable heroic saga. Almost half a million people lost their lives in Çanakkale wars and nearly half of this number was our martyrs who scarified their lives for the sake of existence and freedom of Turkish nation without hesitation. Çanakkale (Dardanelles) wars lasted almost four years. On March 18, 2015, Allied naval forces forced to pass Çanakkale but it was a complete a failure and the Allied naval battleships that sailed in Çanakkale never returned. March 18 is the day that Turkish nation has proven the slogan “Çanakkale is Impassable” to the whole world. In this regard, March 18 is celebrated as Çanakkale Victory and Martyrs’ Day every year. Within the frame of the101st anniversary of the event, the University of Kyrenia in cooperation with the Foundation of University of Kyrenia has organized this exhibition in order to shed light on the unknown aspects of Çanakkale naval wars and reflect this heroic saga to the present and the future. Çanakkale Naval War Exhibition was held at Rahmi Koç Museum in Istanbul due to the 100th anniversary of the event. Within the scope of our social responsibility projects and with the mission of maintaining historical heritage and conveying it to new generations, now, we are opening this exhibition at the campus of the University of Kyrenia; in other words, we are exhibiting it at home. I would like to extend my appreciation to everyone particularly to the Günsels for their unique contributions to the exhibition realized under the auspices our Founding Rector Cemre Günsel Haskasap” said he. Professor Salihoğlu ended his remarks with Çanakkale Poem written by Faruk Nafız Çamlıbel.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel: “While establishing our future together; we stake a claim on our values without forgetting the past”
Beginning his remarks by commemorating the martyrs and extending his thanks to the participants, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel expressed his views: “As Near East University and the University of Kyrenia, we are always aware of the importance of maintaining and improving the cultural heritage that inherited to us. To this end, 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. We are committed to making efforts and sparing no sacrifices to take TRNC forward. We will continue to proceed with concrete steps towards establishing our common future together by staking a claim on our historical and national heritage without forgetting the past. Therefore, Çanakkale Victory has a great importance for us. Çanakkale battles and other victories have formed the basis of Turkish war of independence. Çanakkale Victory reignited the national spirit and consciousness. This exhibition, which was organized within the scope of the 101st anniversary of Çanakkale Victory and Martyrs’ Day by University of Kyrenia, aims to convey our naval history particularly to new generation properly in the best manner” said he.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel: “In order to present our history to our public under the light of scientific studies, we are leading an innovative museology concept in our country”
Underlining the significant efforts that exerted by Near East University and University of Kyrenia to maintain historical heritage and convey it to next generations, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel stated that both of the universities spare no sacrifices and use all their possibilities to ensure the preservation, maintenance and conveyance of our national and historical heritage from generations to generations. “As Near East University and University of Kyrenia, since our establishment, we have always aimed at taking roots in every step taken and in every effort exerted to pile up the building blocks of our fundamental objectives. Along with the University of Kyrenia, we have taken it as a mission to ensure an institutional continuity in all our visual and intellectual awareness activities by making a difference from other universities located in our country and region. While establishing our future in the line with this mission, we have established museums and generated numerous social responsibility projects covering all fields. We are committed to continuing to take concrete steps towards presenting our cultural and historical heritage to our public under the light of scientific studies by undertaken a pioneer role in launching modern museology concept in our country. We attach importance in museology and museums. Within the scope of our innovative approach to museology concept, we have established the Maritime History Museum in addition to our current Classic Automobile Museum and recently the boards of trustees of Near East University and University of Kyrenia have co-decided to establish the National History Museum which will be the first of its kind to shed light on Cyprus Turkish History by providing comprehensive information covering 445 year period of Turkish Cypriots History. Being aware of the inspiring role of museums on keeping the memory of societies alive while shaping their futures, we are bringing new museums into the use of our country and the world and we will continue to do so” said he.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel: “We are actualizing a first in the history of our country and the world”
Emphasizing that the exhibition is the first of its kind in terms of shedding light on the unknown aspects on Dardanelles Naval War, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel expressed his views. “Numerous books have been written about Gallipoli and other battles on land in Çanakkale so far. On the other hand, books regarding Çanakkale (Dardanelles) Naval War are very rare. In this regard, our exhibition is very significant in terms of providing comprehensive information on Çanakkale Naval War with a focus on shedding light on the unknown aspects of the naval wars” said he.
Hüseyin Özgürgün: “I feel the extreme happiness of participating in such a significant event on such an important day; I extend my thanks to those who contributed”
Beginning his remarks by commemorating the martyrs and extending his appreciations to those who contributed, UBP Chairman Hüseyin Özgürgün expressed his feelings and views: “First of all, I am full of the excitement and happiness of taking place in such a significant event on this outstanding day. The Unknown Aspects of Çanakkale Naval War Exhibition is very significant in terms of providing opportunities to young generation to get a better understanding of the past and figure out what would have happened if the war hadn’t been ended up with our victory. I celebrate the University of Kyrenia for organizing such a significant exhibition. I would like to extend my appreciations particularly to NEU Founding Rector Dr. Suat İ. Günsel and everyone who contributed. I wish continuing success to the University of Kyrenia. I commemorate Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his fellow fighters and martyrs with mercy and gratitude; and bend down in respect before them” said he.
Dr. Derviş Eroğlu: Çanakkale War should be a model for the entire world; we should achieve to live in peace and security”
TRNC 3rd President Derviş Eroğlu began his remarks by voicing his honor of participating in the exhibition. “Dear ladies and gentleman, I feel the honor of being here at this significant exhibition. Çanakkale Naval War laid the foundations of Turkey. This exhibition features very noteworthy documents, paintings, animations and everything concerning the Çanakkale Naval War. To actualize such a significant exhibition in TRNC is a great honor and pride for us as Turkish Cypriots. I congratulate those who contributed to the event. All of us know the significant scientific and cultural activities such as conferences, seminars, symposia and similar meetings conducted by Near East University. And today, we are actualizing a social responsibility project by opening such a exhibition at the University of Kyrenia. Once again, I would like to extend my appreciations to those who contributed” said he.
After the speeches, Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat İ.Günsel presented “Çanakkale Medallions” to TRNC 3rd President Derviş Eroğlu and UBP Chairman Hüseyin Özgürgün in remembrance of the day. The opening of the exhibition was realized with ribbon cutting ceremony.