 Bilkent's Center for Turkish Literature organized a three day international symposium on Evliya Çelebi, seventeenth century writer and traveller, focusing specifically on his work, Seyahatname (The Book of Travel). Considered to be a masterpiece, it is an important account of social and geographical conditions in Ottoman lands, written after 40 years of travel. He often represented the government on his excursions, but also travelled on his own, having a passion for learning about people and places. His imagination may have even got the better of him at times, leading to speculation that his work contained some embellishments. Regardless, Seyahatname is seen as an excellent resource for the understanding of the Ottoman Empire.
Asst. Prof. Mehmet Kalpaklı got the event rolling on April 3 with an opening speech. Thirty three speakers from all over the world presented their papers, including: Prof. Robert Dankoff, Prof. Pierre MacKay, Prof. Dr. Mine Mengi, Assistant Prof. M. Gül-Akmaz, Prof. Dr. Ferah Hüseynova, Prof. Gisela Prochazka, Prof. Dr. Claudia Römer, Caroline Finkel, Priscilla Mary Işın, Associate Professor Slobodan Ilic, Mustafa Tupev, Dr. Mehmet Tütüncü, Ersu Pekin, Associate Professor Mehmet Aydın, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Aydın, Prof. Dr. Jean Louis Bacqué-Grammont, Prof. Dr. Hendrik Boeschoten, Assistant Prof. Yücel Dağlı, Prof. Dr. Musa Duman, Prof. Dr. Feridun Emecen, Associate Professor Muhittin Eliaçık, Seyyit Ali Kahraman, Dr. Fatih Kemik, Sabri Koz, Prof. Dr. Zafer Önler, Prof. Claus Schönig, Associate Professor İbrahim Sezgin, Assistant Prof. Nurettin Gemici, Machiel Kiel, Alphan Akgül, Günil Özlem Ayaydın Cebe, Arzu Erekli and Associate Professor Nuran Tezcan.
Ms. Tezcan, the director of organization, wrapped up the symposium, thanking all applicants and speakers. But, the fun didn't stop there as a number of the conference participants and students of the Turkish Literature Department went on a trip to the Beypazarı district of Ankara.
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