First call to prayer inside Istanbul's Hagia Sophia in 85 years

A muezzin's call to prayer reverberated inside the 6th century Istanbul landmark Hagia Sophia for the first time in 85 years on July 1.

The building in the city's historic Sultanahmet district broadcast the azan from its minarets following July 1's Laylat al-Qadr, or night of power, marking the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.      

The broadcast of the morning call to prayer from within Hagia Sophia is likely to reignite the controversy over the use of the building, which was designated a museum in 1935 under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the modern Turkisjh Republic.      

Although the prayer call has been played from Hagia Sophia's minarets for the last four years, the muezzin has always chanted from a prayer room in the museum grounds rather than from inside the former mosque and cathedral.    

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/first-call-to-prayer-inside-istanbuls-hagia-sophia-in-85-years.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101161&NewsCatID=341

Largest Urartian Museum to open in Turkey's east

The Urartian Museum, the construction of which started in 2012 after the main museum in the city was badly damaged during the major earthquake in the eastern province of Van in 2011, will house thousands of artifacts from the Urartian civilization. 

The museum construction has been continuing within the scope of a support program initiated by the Ministry of Development after the earthquake.

The museum, which will be the largest Urartian Museum in the world, covers an area of 50,000 square meters, 13,000 square meters of which is a closed area. So far, 15.2 million Turkish Liras has been spent on the project. 

A total of 5,000 historic artifacts will be displayed at the museum, which will open when final work is completed after the merchandising tender, due to be held in July. 

Culture and Tourism Provincial Director Muzaffer Aktuğ said the museum, constructed with funding from the Development Ministry and located opposite the Van Fortress, would revive the history of the Urartians. 

Aktuğ said the Urartians, who lived in the Van region 2,500 years ago, declared Van as their capital and the city should have a museum to highlight this heritage. 

“The environmental arrangements of the museum have been completed. Previously, the merchandising tender was made twice but there was no participation. The tender will be made for the third time in July. Surely this time there will be participation. The outer façade of the museum has been completely surrounded by glass. We tried to reflect the magnificent visual of the Van Fortress on the front part of the museum,” he added.

Because the museum has been closed since the earthquake, local and foreign tourists visiting the city have not had a chance to go to the museum and the city has lost vital promotional opportunity. 

“The new Urartian Museum will contribute to the promotion of Van,” he said. 

“Everyone visiting the fortress will also visit the museum. Travel agencies will also include the new museum in their tour programs. We will revive a history of 5,000 years and show it to people. Those who come to Van and see the Urartian Museum will closely observe Urartian history. There will also be an archaeopark for children. It is very important for children to learn about our history,” Aktuğ added.

Armenian Church holds pre-fast meal at its garden in Istanbul

An Armenian church in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district held a sahur (pre-fast meal during Ramadan) event on June 30 in cooperation with the district’s municipality, during where messages of solidarity were conveyed in the aftermath of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terror attack in Istanbul. 

The Büyükdere Surp Hıripsimyants Armenian Church foundation hosted the meal, organized with the Sarıyer Municipality, at its garden early in the morning. It was attended by Sarıyer Mayor Şükrü Genç, Büyükdere Surp Hıripsimyants Armenian Church foundation head Murat Süme, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) district head Mehmet Deniz, Büyükdere neighborhood muhtar Ali Yazıcı, as well as residents from the neighborhood.

After the meal was concluded with the prayers of the imam of Büyükdere Mosque, İlyas Berber, Genç delivered a speech in which he highlighted the importance of unity and solidarity and condemned the deadly attack at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport. Genç also said they would hold the sahur event at the church every year.

Also speaking at the event, Süme said “condemned the attack” at Atatürk Airport. “Despite all of this, we stress brotherhood, peace and friendship,” he added.

During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan many non-Muslim places of worship throughout Turkey have organized iftar – fast-breaking – meal events to show solidarity with the country’s majority Muslim community.

June/30/2016

80 years of photos at Istanbul Modern

Istanbul Modern has opened a new exhibition showcasing important 

examples of photography in Turkey from the beginning of the art until 

the present day.

A selection of the Istanbul Modern Photography Collection, which has 

been further enriched by newly acquired photographs, is presented in 

the exhibition “People Attract People.”

Othmar Pferschy was one of the leading exponents of documentary 

photography in the Republican era who introduced the developing and

 revitalized face of a young Turkey to the world. 

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/80-years-of-photos-at-istanbul-modern-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101067&NewsCatID=385

Turkey’s first ‘slow food’ neighborhood

 

The Germiyan neighborhood in the western province of İzmir’s Çeşme district has been launched as Turkey’s first “slow food” neighborhood by the Slow Food movement, which brings small producers and natural food into forefront against industrial production. 

The protocol was signed on May 15 by the representatives of Slow Food Turkey and Slow Food Germiyan.
Çeşme District Governor Mustafa Erkayıran said people were reacting against the estrangement caused by industrialization and wanted to return to more traditional ways of doing things.

“We try to realize the production of 100-200 years ago in villages. Germiyan will be the first place for this trial,” Erkayıran added.

Nedim Atilla, a founding member of Slow Food Turkey, said Germiyan would “go down in history” as Turkey’s first slow food neighborhood.

“Germiyan is an urban neighborhood, but we call it village symbolically. With this protocol, Germiyan will protect its values and clean products will be produced here. Vegetables will not be grown here out of their natural season. Germiyan’s bread and Kopanisti cheese will survive as the region’s important brands.

Products unique to Germiyan will be sold here for one year with a logo featuring a snail with an olive branch in its mouth.

The spokesperson of Slow Food Germiyan, Engin Önen, said the movement was becoming more popular in Turkey.

“These products do not contain chemical products, they are clean. They will reach consumers via this movement. The people of Germiyan have worked for two years to realize this. Now with our 27 members, we will start producing,” Önen added.

publication de la maison de la transhumance

PASTEURS, PAYSAGES Pastoralisme en Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Actes Sud / Maison de la transhumance Photographies Lionel Roux - Textes Jean-Claude Duclos et Patrick Fabre Format 21.5 x 24.5 cm relié 240 p. – Juin 2016 Associant le témoignage d’une cinquantaine d’hommes et de femmes, éleveurs et bergers des six départements de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, aux paysages qu’ils façonnent par leur relation à l’animal, les auteurs de cet ouvrage proposent une lecture de tout ce que leur activité génère. Dans cette région, riche de la grande variété des paysages méditerranéens où l’élevage pastoral a conservé sa place, cette activité entretient la biodiversité naturelle de près d’un million d’hectares, des plaines littorales aux montagnes des Alpes. Résultat d’un projet de vie dans un espace donné, le paysage, ici décrypté par l’image et le témoignage, devient lisible dans tout ce qu’il implique. Pour les pasteurs, éleveurs, manadiers, bayles, bergers, bergères ou gardians qui ont confié ce qui donne sens à leur vie, comme pour ses spectateurs, le paysage est alors “ressource où vivre peut indéfiniment puiser”. Empruntée au philosophe François Jullien, cette idée forte inspire chacune des pages de ce livre humaniste.     BON DE COMMANDE A TELECHARGER RÉSUMÉ   Maison de la Transhumance · domaine du merle · route d'Arles · salon de provence 13300 · France L'ouvrage Pasteurs, paysages, Pastoralisme en Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur a bénéficié d'une aide à l'édition du Département des Bouches-du-Rhône et de la Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.