TURKEY: Turkish library holds annual conference where specialists can gather to share knowledge and expertise

Record ID: 837816

  • Title: TURKEY: Turkish library holds annual conference where specialists can gather to share knowledge and expertise
  • Date: 5th May 2011
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (RECENT) (REUTERS) SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE IN ISTANBUL WIDE OF THE BOSPHORUS SHOWING MOSQUES, VIADUCT AND FERRY WIDE OF THE IRCICA LIBRARY HOUSED IN THE FORMER PALACE ARMOURY AND TILT UP TO FRESCOES ON CEILING FRESCO OF OTTOMAN STEAMSHIP (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR HALET EREN, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF IRCICA, SAYING: "It was established in 1979 by the Foreign Ministers Conference of Islamic Countries and it is doing research in the fields of history, art and culture of Islamic countries. Turkish Government as a host has given us this place in Yildiz Palace. This palace was building specially was built on the occcasion of the visit of the German Emperor in 19th century and later foreign ambassadors used to come here to watch the Sultan when he was going to Friday prayer from the main gate of the palace. The centre started from here." LIBRARY FROM UPPER GALLERY VARIOUS OF DR GULER DOGAN, RESEARCHER AT THE IRSCA TALKING TO LARA HADDAD, SENIOR COORDINATOR FROM WANA FORUM IN JORDAN OLD ISLAMIC TEXT BOOKS PUBLISHED BY THE CENTRE VARIOUS OF BOOKS BEING PACKED FOR DISPATCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR HALET EREN, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF IRCICA,SAYING: "This centre in 30 years was able to organise more than 70 international congresses, more than hundreds of exhibitions. We have international competitions like calligraphy competitions, photographic competitions." PALACE COURTYARD WITH TULIPS IN FOREGROUND PARTICIPANTS IN THE WANA FORUM TALKING OUTSIDE THE CENTRE CONFERENCE CENTRE CLOSE-UP OF SIGN FOR RESEARCH CENTRE VARIOUS OF CONFERENCE WITH ASSAD SERHAL SPEAKING CHANDELIER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ASSAD SERHAL, DIRECTOR GENERAL, THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN LEBANON (SPNL) SAYING: "In trying to uncover more about the ancient system of himma we discovered that during the Ottoman period on the Arabian peninsula and in North Africa land management was controlled by the Ottomans themselves. They hold the history for this practice in Turkey and in the Turkish language.. Local communities need to know more about our past and in particular sustainable land use." VARIOUS OF WANA CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ASSAD SERHAL, DIRECTOR GENERAL, THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN LEBANON (SPNL) SAYING: "In one protected area in northern Lebanon we've been working with a Turkmen community - a remnant of the Ottoman era. They speak Turkish among themselves. We're re-establishing a Himma and in their collective memory they have knowledge of how the Ottomans used the forest, the water. Even the words they use come from the Turkish. So we are learning from them about the taxation system and the penalties for breaking the law - cutting a tree for example. Things like grazing rights, water rights. These documents are in old Turkish so we need access to them." VARIOUS OF GRAND BAZAAR VARIOUS OF MOSQUE
  • Embargoed: 20th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • City:
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVABVT2NS8NTNVC0S5PJEQLZIL3B
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: In the Turkish city of Istanbul, home to famous sites like the Suleymaniye mosque and the Topkaki Palace, is a centre dedicated to research into Islamic history, art and culture.
    The Institute for research into Islamic history, art and culture, IRCICA, is part of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and is housed in a former grand Ottoman palace. The Yildiz Palace, built in the late 19th century by Sultan Abdulhamid II, was unused for decades.
    The palace has now been restored to its former glory with frescoed ceilings which feature pictures of Ottoman warships and the Sultans' coat of arms.
    "It (the centre) was established in 1979 by the Foreign Ministers Conference of Islamic Countries and it is doing research in the fields of history, art and culture of Islamic countries. Turkish Government as a host has given us this place in Yildiz Palace. This palace was building specially was built on the occcasion of the visit of the German Emperor in 19th century and later foreign ambassadors used to come here to watch the Sultan when he was going to Friday prayer from the main gate of the palace. The centre started from here," said Dr. Halet Eren, Director General of IRCICA.
    The Institute also acts as a cultural library, home to thousands of books and rare manuscripts. Among them is a rare edition of the Koran, which was translated into Latin and dates back to 1550.
    The IRCICA is also home to the "Mutferrika prints," the first books to be printed in the Ottoman state, dating to 1727.
    But the role of the cultural centre and library is evolving into a forum where international experts can gather to take advantage of the vast collection of manuscripts and to share in their knowledge and skills.
    "This centre in 30 years was able to organise more than 70 international congresses, more than hundreds of exhibitions. We have international competitions like calligraphy competitions, photographic competitions," said Eren, seated in one of the lavishly decorated rooms of the palace.
    The IRCICA is the Istanbul-based cultural arm of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), an inter-governmental organisation with 57 member states and headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The library's collection was created to support research into Islamic history and culture and the arts and sciences of Muslim nations.
    Due to the geographic location of the library and the ease of access to the manuscripts, experts from countries like Jordan, Morocco, Canada, Dubai, Qatar, and Algeria recently gathered in its luxurious rooms to swap expertise.
    One of those experts attending the recent conference at the library is Assad Serhal, Director General of the Society for the Protection Of Nature in Lebanon.
    He is working alongside other experts on a subject called 'Himma,' a topic that focuses on the best ways to manage protected nature areas that are vital to communities close to them. Himma covers areas to do with the natural environment and the relationship between the people and their livelihood.
    Through the facilities at the library they've already discovered more about the topic.
    "In trying to uncover more about the ancient system of himma we discovered that during the Ottoman period on the Arabian peninsula and in North Africa land management was controlled by the Ottomans themselves. They hold the history for this practice in Turkey and in the Turkish language. Local communities need to know more about our past and in particular sustainable land use," said Serhal.
    He also added why the library is so vital for his research purposes.
    "In one protected area in northern Lebanon we've been working with a Turkmen community - a remnant of the Ottoman era. They speak Turkish among themselves. We're re-establishing a Himma and in their collective memory they have knowledge of how the Ottomans used the forest, the water. Even the words they use come from the Turkish. So we are learning from them about the taxation system and the penalties for breaking the law - cutting a tree for example. Things like grazing rights, water rights. These documents are in old Turkish so we need access to them."
    The palace complex, less visited than some of Istanbul's other Ottoman monuments, is also home to the Municipal Museum of Istanbul, with gardens and views of the Bosphorus. It isn't only academics and experts who can use the Library's facilities, it's also open to the public who are able to access the secrets of the ancient manuscripts for themselves.
    The list of events hosted at the Institute include topics related to architecture, archaeology and the history and culture of Muslim nations.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register