Bautifoul old city....

Southeastern Anatolia is such an amazing place to visit. I was able to spend a significant amount of time, a few years ago, in Gaziantep which is considered by most to be the gateway to the Southeast. It was a powerful, life changing experience for me. What I loved the most was the genuine warmth and generosity of the Turkish people. Had I been robbed of all my possessions, there wouldn't have been a doubt in my mind that I would have had food, shelter, and companionship. There are amazing cultural traditions that have been passed down for centuries and that continue today such as the traditional Turkish and Kurdish dances and the unparalleled hospitality. I have seen the sights, I have tasted the food, and I have build relationships that continue to this day. I have also been around the world and back and nothing I have experienced compares to the acceptance I found in Gaziantep.

I know Southeastern Anatolia. I've visited around many places there, taking advantage of my works in EU projects as STE in communications during the last four years. And I believe in the big potential of this area in the field of tourism. I know also other regions of Turkey, in the Mediterranean shore, but Southeastern Anatolia is quite different to all places, not only because its own physical attractions but also because the impressive human values of the Anatolians and the very rich history (and stories) of the area. Archeological sites, biblical scenarios, high developement of traditional knowledge. As an advertising men, I always want to have one unknown and excellent "product" like this. I'm trying to convince my wife to retire there when the time will arrive!

I don't know who is going to read this comment, but believe me or not, I know some of the persons involved in this project and know they're not only absolutely efficients and able to develope it succesfully, but their sense of hospitality and will to please the foreigners are as big and honest as their love for this amazing land.

Sincerely,
MV

I first visited Gaziantep in the 1990’s to research the cooking styles as well as the history and culture of the region. I’ve written about the region in a few articles and included information on the people and the food in three of my books.
I have always loved food about which a story can be told, a story, perhaps, about why and by whom a particular dish is cooked, or relating something about the place where it is served. Gaziantep's cuisine is so much part of its history and also its present. Through Filiz I was able to come to understand the why and wherefores behind a dish, I felt a friendship, a kinship with the people who cooked it And I tried to write these stories so they could be placed in context and make it come alive.for my readers. Capturing the essence of a region through its food is not enough though .
Which brings me to a wonderful quote from James A Michener which I would like to share: "If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home. You are like a pebble thrown into water; you become wet on the surface but you are never a part of the water..

Drawing worldwide attention with its magnificent mosaics unearthed in the year of 2000, Zeugma is located near the town Nizip and next to the Euphrates River, 45 kilometers away from the city of Gaziantep in South East Turkey.
800 square meters of mosaics, 150 square meters of wall paintings, a bronze Mars sculpture, and various other small findings that were moved away from Zeugma, transported to Gaziantep Museum beginning with the year 2000 until the present time, have been restored by Centro Conservazione Archeologica di Roma (CCA) through 2004, and made ready to be exhibited finsancied by Packard Humanties Institute (PHI). .
Decision makers from Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey including in the Minister and thePHI group had planned an exhibition of Zeugma Mosaics for the NATO meetings held in Istanbul in 2004. Thus immadiatly it was begun to packaging by restoration group(CCA)

At that stage transportation of all Zeugma objects until tiny piecies, the inconvenience of the transportation of the huge size mosaics, and the inappropriateness of the packaging system that was going to be used set off enormous discussions and public demonstrations and solidarity in Turkey. Thus Zeugma Platform was founded and it took judicial proceedings. Thanks to this judicial proceedings, public solidarity and discussions, , both insufficient time to prepare exhibition to Nato and political risk because of the public demonstration the decision makers and grant makers abandoned to Zeugma Mosaics’ exhibition during the NATO Meeting in ?stanbul. During the judicial proceedings, court experts and us, proved that packaging system was wrong, it caused important damages on mosaics, the moving mosaics is contrary to the approaches of conservation and cultural tourism and gives rice to demolish the each mosaics in a detailed report. Unfortunately, even that report, the court decision was to allow the exhibition of the Zeugma mosaics in everywhere “from Japon to USA”.
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However Gaziantep Museum was shut down meanwhile, because some small mosaics exhibited there were moved away so that they could be packaged. Another reason for planning a Zeugma mosaics exhibition in Istanbul was the inadequateness of Gaziantep Museum. Thus with the support of Gaziantep residents, Gaziantep Governorship, and the Ministry of Culture, it was decided that a new museum building should be created.
Gaziantep Governorship prepared a conversion project for the conversion of a building that was formerly constructed as a cultural center right next to the museum building, and put it in practice. Cultural center was two flats that had theater saloon, fitting rooms and a balcony . These areas were incorporated and constitued big areas for huge size mosaics. The Mosaic panel's districts are approximately 54 and 72 metersquare. An exhibition committee was constituted from the Cultural Ministry architects, archeologists and art historians disagned a mosaic museum exhibition project according to the building and mosaic size The exhibition project of the new museum building was auctioned in the beginning of 2005. The project was to be completed within 6 months according to the assignment agreement. When we had undertaken the project of lifting the mosaics from the site during during the year 2000 excavations, we also had made a documentation of the excavation site independent of the excavation itself, so that if we could exhibit the mosaics that we moved away some time in the future Thus our experience that we participated all stage of Zeugma excavation and our plan are assist to exhibition committee.
During the exhibition project to assemble the walls, the columns, and a part of the Poseidon house in 1/1 scale.
We can evaluate these accomplishments in 3 main groups:
1- Stone Works
a- Columns,
b- Sculptures,
c- Fountains,
2- Mosaics
a- Mosaics exhibited vertically on the floor
b- Mosaics exhibited horizontally on the walls
3- Wall paintings
4- Bronze Mars sculpture

I have not had the pleasure of visiting southeastern Anatolia. I look forward to visiting and writing about this place and sharing my discoveries with my readers.
Nancy Brown
http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-A-Trip/

I was only a little part of the big picture just as a traveler and photographer.
When I first heard Mrs. Hosukoglu informing me about the project on the phone, I was impressed by the level of excitement that she was inspiring.
The project was such an opportunity to promote the cultural heritage of the region by not only visualizations but it also had real social and cultural assets.
For years and years, many prestigious travel magazines of the world and Turkey covered the south east by individual means, basing mostly on the cliché "sun rises from the east". But not too many of the issues dared to touch the sun by themselves, they remained "outsiders". They remained "visitors". Every time a picture taken and every time a word is written, hundred years old oriental images were reproduced. Newly taken photo-journalist images mostly did not differ too much in context, from the ones with water paintings of the 19th century. “East” was a dream when you look from the “west”.
That’s why I admired her and the project... Because it would be the production of insiders. It was the very first time a photo wouldn’t be just a colored ink on the paper. The deep roots of a culture would be classified and recorded.
The gathering of the media & tourism professionals on a compact regional tour was one of the realistic dimensions of the project that I was an eyewitness of. It was very amazing to see that the region hasn’t been a destination even for some of the “professionals” either. Tour guides, agency managers, journalists… The ones holding all of the corners of the industry had the opportunity to see from the other’s eyes. And more important than that, the ones taking the “traveling” concept as business had the opportunity to explore the dimensions of the southeast as a tourism market.

I visited the towns of Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Mardin and Diyarbakir in April-May 2007 and discovered so much about a region that in my imagination was almost more fabulous than real. The range of architectural styles that had survived over 2000 years, the mixing of different religious traditions, the wildlife, the cuisine and wider cultural environment have all left a legacy that has seen me seeking to find out and learn more about the region. The project if it can succeed in bringing more tourists into the region can help to dispel the myths that have grown up about Turkey in western Europe as a monocultural country that does not share a common heritage with their citizens that can be explored through its cultural and culinary worlds. Explore the cities of the region, experience the pistachio based sweets and drink Turkish tea, you will have much to remmember.

We have recently travelled all round Turkey and spent a week in the southeast. We were attracted by the famed cuisine of the area, which is quite different to elsewhere in Turkey. We found that the food is even more varied and interesting than we had expected, and that the region has a lot more to offer as well in terms of crafts, history and archaeological sites. In fact we used the book produced by this project, which is very useful, attractive and easy to use. With Filiz's help, we were able to visit a baklava factory and learn about the whole fascinating process, and to visit a patisserie to see a 'katmer'-making demonstration, which was incredible. Everywhere we went, people were incredibly kind and generous with their time and knowledge.

It is a shame that so few tourists visit the area. We have heard many times from people, including Turks themselves, that they think the southeast is an unattractive and even dangerous place to go. This could not be farther from the truth! There is much to be discovered and learnt here and this project is therefore an extremely worthwhile and valuable one.

We agree with the analysis that lack of printed materials and English language are problems - sites tend to have poor information available, either only in Turkish or very badly translated into English so hard to understand. Having visited other parts of the world where tourism has really taken off (eg the Aegean coast of Turkey), we would encourage the project to consider the broad-ranging environmental side-effects of increased tourism, to anticipate the problems and manage the developments carefully to avoid them. Having met Filiz herself in Gaziantep, we are sure she will continue to bring a sound approach to the project as it develops further.

We wish the project every success in the future. This project, and the cultural and historical richness of the southeast of Turkey, deserve to be heard about all over the world. We shall certainly be returning and hope that more others do too!

this project tells everything about Southeastern Anatolia about its historical places,meals,etc.by the help of this project people can also learn lots of things about our culture,the way people are living.... so we all think that this is a realy good presentation of Southeastern Anatolia

I was one of a group of visiting heritage sector professionals from Scotland in 2007 with a big interest in interpretation. We were enormously impressed with the showcase of the region in film and publications and particularly in food and song.
Our hands-on involvement in the mosaic making process appealed to everyone and is typical of our experience of the visit. Our joint effort to create a mosaic acted as a communication bridge with the students, our hosts, who were able to show us what to do. They were able to demonstrate their newly acquired skills, and begin to express their feelings about the artistry in their work. On reflection, the 'doing' aspect of the days visit engendered an understanding of mosaic, not only a personal artistic discovery, but also a strong visual and tactile connection with the place and its history.

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Archnetwork

This project is an excellent guide for the homeland of many ancient civilizations and there's no doubt that it'll be a manual both for the foreigners and the local tourists who want to explore this hidden treasure. The most distinctive part of this guide is it doesn't only include informations about the places to be visited but also provides you with high quality photos, some folkloric elements (cuisine, songs) and helps you to feel like a part of it easily.
Endevaours for this comprehensive study are really worth to be appreciated...

I see those done in that project a milestone for determining geoparks in Gaziantep and Southeastern Anatolia. Before preserving the region, one should learn what to preserve. There are many natural monuments in this region such as caves, canyons, archaelogical sites. This project opens the road for preserving the area. This project give opportunities to local poeople express their capabilities for generating economic activities. Southeastern Anatolia region is full with enormous cultural and geological treasures. The experts of this project are able to combine culture and geography and let the people living in this region share the same ideas. In their website http://www.guneydogumirasi.org/eng/ , they are giving Tour programs. This information is what I am looking for years. No travel agencies up to now can make such rich, big tours (10 days tour). The previous tours were really poor. Moreover It is stated in their website that the education programs are available for tour guides. This is really important in my opinion. This way local people will chance to learn everything what happened in the past in their region and tell what they know, to visitors and earn money. Moreover this project will help local people understand each other and live in peace. This project will show that people living in this region is not forgotten. They are really part of Turkey. I already saw Gaziantep many times. I love Gaziantep. Gaziantep is full of culture is somewhat small Anatolia. But I did not see other parts of Southeastern Anatolia region. But when I read the things written on the entry details of Filiz Hosukoglu and things written in their website, I believe that I can and should see the places where I did not see before. I want to walk on the streets of Mardin, I want to attend an Urfa "Sira" night. I am very happy that geological and cultural inheritance of my region is not ownerless thanks to Filiz Hosukoglu's project.

My big and beatiful country, Anatolia, composition of the cultures, history and human..Each of region is separately beatiful, separately private, the center of the earth, heart of the earth..
We are very happy when a good studies are made in our country. Also ? am very glad. With this project the southeastern anatolia region is represented with a good web site and with brochures in turkish and in english languaeges. The deficiency of the touristic guides are removed with this project and tourist guides are educated for this region, local songs, local meals are presented in the site.
I hope with like this project, my beatiful country is regognized very well.
Avalokitesvara.

This professional study is important for to presentation of the region for notice the cultural and touristic importance of the region.
Educating professional guides for tourism and preparing a web site and brochure for preciousness of the region is important to reach the knowledge.
I wish a continuation of their succes.

Mesude Senol

The Southeastern Anatolia project is a wonderfully comprehensive learning and tourism resource for what is a less well-known and understood part of Turkey.
I visited Gaziantep in 2007 to research regional culinary specialties for a food-travel book, and was richly rewarded. With my interest in food – and particularly in placing it in its historical and cultural context – I find it very pleasing to see this aspect featured in the guide. I strongly believe that food offers a route into understanding a culture: you can trace the history of a dish through the history of a region…and vice versa, through a region’s cuisine, you can trace the evolution of its history and people. This is no more true than in Southeastern Anatolia, located as it is on ancient trade routes, and having been settled by numerous civilisations, down through the centuries.
Filiz Hosukoglu and her colleagues are to be congratulated for their hard work in creating this easy-to-use resource. Not only is it thoroughly researched, but it is presented in an accessible and appealing way. Southeastern Anatolia deserves to be better known, and this guide goes a long way to bringing it to people’s attention.

I am from Southeastern Anatolia, I love all these places very much, I think everybody should know the value of this area.

I agree with an idea which supports my innovation to my country.If we inroduce our country to the travelers or others in a better way ,they can understand how a wonderful country it is.we can prepare papers or interesting activities with our culture and can take the atrraction of foreigners .in this mixture,our traditios can be added to special things of the region.for example:gaziantep is famous with baklava and we can take others atrractions with an intresting advertisement.so the world might hear the name of gaziantep and baklava.at the same time ?ts recipe can be givenwith a video.these are good examples for Turkey.this is a good wayto inroduce a country.

I am so glad to see such a meaningful project for a area
that has been neglected for so long. Sharing the culture of many
civilizations, Anatolia and upper Mesopotamia has much more to offer and this project summarizes it all.

Burak Epir

It seems the project reached its aim. Outputs are good for the region and who want to know about the region and who want to see the region. It is a good guide.

Thanks for who worked this project.

I have seen that the project has put a light to our secret beauty in the southeast Anatolia.The outstanding features of this region has been given in the most informative way.In a way known to its people best, I must say.Congratulations to all the people involved in the project.I send all my praises to them.I, for myself, have learnt a little more about the region which has surprised me most as I live in the region itself. thank you all.

Southeastern Anatolia is the cradle of civilization--amazingly rich in its historic, cultural, architectural, artistic, and gastronomic heritage--yet few travelers have seen it because it's been pretty much off-limits, what with Kurdish unrest and the war in Iraq, and because the tourism infrastructure needs improvement.

Lucky for me, I got to go there two years ago to write an article for Conde Nast Traveler Magazine (the article ran in December 2006). Thanks to Filiz Hosukoglu--her knowledge of and passion for the region, and her connections among both the pillars of the community and the regular people--I gained access to this lost civilization.

Filiz took me up to the ancient Roman city of Rumkale, which sits atop a mountainous spur some five hundred feet above the Euphrates but is off-limits to most travelers because it has not yet been restored for tourist traffic. Rumkale (Turkish for "Roman castle") is the most stunning Roman ruin I've ever seen (and I've seen my share, including gems like Baalbek in Lebanon and Palmyra in Syria).

She took me to another must-see, the Gaziantep Museum, which holds the exquisite mosaics rescued from the ancient Roman town of Zeugma, and made sure to introduce me to the Museum's director. Filiz helped arrange with the director, and the Turkish government, for travelers willing to make a donation to the Museum's preservation efforts to be allowed to tour the Museum's warehouse--which holds 85,000 of its 90,000 works and is ordinarily off-limits to the public.

Filiz also introduced me to the famous local chef Burhan Cagdas, whose grandfather opened Gaziantep's best baklava shop in 1887. Burhan gave me a tour of the baklava factory atop the shop, showing me how the pastry is still made the same way it was 120 years ago (the dough, for instance, needs to be stretched so thin--by human hands--that you can read a newspaper through it).

Filiz also took me to a local home where the ladies of the house demonstrated the laborious process of making kofte from scratch (kofte are meatballs made from ground meat, bulgur, and other ingredients), so I could see firsthand how this Mesopotamian staple of life has been made since time immemorial.

As Filiz's film shows, there is so very much to do and see in southeastern Anatolia. I also went to Anastasiopolis, the Roman Empire's easternmost outpost, where you can climb down into an ancient underground cistern or dungeon (the archaeologists aren't sure which) that is so vast and tall it looks like the interior of a cathedral.

I was also lucky enough to spend a night at Deyrul Zafaran (Arabic for "Saffron Monastery"), which sits in the desert south of Mardin and where the monks still speak Aramaic and perform the most ancient Christian church service in existence. The Archbishop there is eager for more travelers to visit, in hopes they will help contribute to the monastery's cultural preservation efforts. I also got to visit the studio of an octogenarian artist who is the last living person to practice the traditional local art of painting biblical scenes on cotton curtains using ancient woodblocks; her art decorates Assyrian Christian churches nearby.

Is it not vital to preserve the cultural heritage of this birthplace of civilization for future generations? One way to do so is to bring in travelers--in the right numbers and in the right way, of course--since this would inject badly needed funds to support the preservation projects. To bring in more travelers, however, the tourism infrastructure needs improvement. With the tools that Filiz has created--the film, the guidebook, etc.--she has already accomplished important major steps toward this effort. Thank you, Filiz.

Wendy Perrin
Consumer News Editor
Conde Nast Traveler Magazine
New York, N.Y., U.S.A.

Special thanks to everyone who participated in this project..

I am a cookbook writer and traveled all over Turkey in order to collect recipes for my cookbooks. I know that SE Anatolia has a great potential from tourism point of view and a rich culinary culture.

When I found out that Filiz was part of this project, I was sure this project would highlight the culinary values of the region as well as other cultural heritage aspects. We participated in various international food symposiums with Filiz. She did wonderful presentations, and represented her country perfectly . The project is innovative since it gives a perspective on the region. It has participative component since people from almost all units of the society involved in it, it is sustainable since the guidebook will keep providing information for the tourists, the website of the project which includes guidebook, local songs, and promotional film that will provide information about the region. Hope this endeavor will bring the needed response from the communities and will protect physical remains,local traditions of building, craft, music, food, gastronomy, architecture.
Nevin Halici

Eme?i geçen herkesin ellerine sa?l?k...

I think,Turkey is the one of the most important country of the world.Especially soth-eastern anatolia.Because,?t has a lot of culturel wealth,historical legacy,naturel beauty,clean air and hospitable people.I know this places very very good.We had a village here three years ago.But now, it is living under the river.nobody didn't know this places.After this,all culturel wealth was fonded by the goverment.I think was the most important project to us.May be,all the world is going to have some knowledge about Turkey and Turkish culturel wealth.I congratulated for all people who are involved in this project.

As a child, I spent four years growing up in Turkey in the 1950's. Often my family would take road trips to visit the people and historical sites of Mesopotamia. The materials already produced by this project have brought to life many memories that had laid dormant for many years. These memories include the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and felt experiences of high adventure, interactions with wonderfully warm and talented people, and delightful discoveries in many realms.

The respectful, integrated systems approach taken by the project is rare and highly commendable. Successful engagement of multiple players in rural communities - artists, artisans, farmers, historical experts, architects, tourism service providers and many more - is much easier to conceptualize than to actually accomplish. Then, to successfully link communities together via a newly recognized regional identity of such foundational importance to humankind, is also a very significant accomplishment.

Refocusing attention away from war, terrorism, violence, strife and toward multicultural understanding, pleasure, delight, friendship and trust is very difficult to do on any scale, particularly a regional one. Yet, it is something desperately needed on the planet at this time, and this project is a living example that it is actually possible to successfully make such a shift.

The project sets the conditions in place for the region to move more swiftly toward ecological and equitable economic sustainability, security, and greater global presence. It can become an inspiration to other neglected areas of the planet that have contributed so much to our collective consciousness.

This project gets my vote for excellence because it models the way. The principles it champions have been embodied from its inception, woven throughout all aspects of the project, and continue as the project evolves. This is extraordinarily rare in projects of this scale and the leaders, including the citizen participants, are to be congratulated as true change champions.

I visited Southeastern Anatolia last year on a learning exchange organised by 'Innovation in Cultural Heritage Interpretation' (UK) and 'Friends of Cultural Heritage (Turkey). On our 10 day exchange we could only sample a fraction of the places covered by the Promotion Project but it was clear that the region has so much to offer. A lasting memory I have from the exchange was that for the impressive cultural heritage of this region to survive, it needs to be looked after and used - it needs to 'work'. The Promotion Project is enabling tourism to the area and thereby will protect not only physical remains but local traditions of building, craft, music, food etc.
Best wishes for your entry in the National Geographic Geotourism Challenge!

I visited Southeastern Anatolia last year on a learning exchange organised by 'Innovation in Cultural Heritage Interpretation' (UK) and 'Friends of Cultural Heritage (Turkey). On our 10 day exchange we could only sample a fraction of the places covered by the Promotion Project but it was clear that the region has so much to offer. A lasting memory I have from the exchange was that for the impressive cultural heritage of this region to survive, it needs to be looked after and used - it needs to 'work'. The Promotion Project is enabling tourism to the area and thereby will protect not only physical remains but local traditions of building, craft, music, food etc.
Best wishes for your entry in the National Geographic Geotourism Challenge!

I am really excited about the project. The people who are involved in this project deserve to be congratulated. I strongly believe that this will contribute to peace for south-eastern Anatolia and for the world.

I have been in the region a few times. One of the unique places in the world, by means of history, music, people.... In addition, you can find the most delicious food in south-eastern Anatolia.

It is good for the people living in the world to know south-eastern Anatolia.

I am an American living in Athens. I first met Filiz Hosukoglu in Crete in 1997 at an Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust Food Seminar. We became friends immediately and I heard the name Gazantiep for the first time. Filiz told me about its pistachios and baklava, her stories made me want to visit. Over the years we met several more times and have kept in touch through email. She'd been quieter than usual the past two years. Now I know why. She was working on this wonderful project, pouring her considerable intelligence and knowledge into telling her region's story to a much larger audience. I was enthralled back then in Crete; seeing these photos, listening to the music and reading the texts about the other towns make me want more than ever to visit them myself. I will forward the web page to many friends in Greece who visit Turkey often but have never dreamed of exploring Southeastern Anatolia. Congratulations!

I hope this will be a good chance to introduce ourselves all over the world.Congratulations on a great project.
This is a splendid idea, and much needed for a region that is full of fascination, with both historical sites and contemporary culture that should be better known, as well as some of the most interesting (and delicious) traditional cuisine in all of Turkey.This all may seem like a new idea to encourage tourism and culture binding.This all is defenitely a unique approach to detail unknown information of a wonderful culture and heritage.I am sure that you will be successful.I was very much pleased to have a look at that information about this great project.
BA?AK SOLAKHAN

I have just read about the project and i must say that i am more than impressed. It was high time someone did something about Anatolia's lost treasures and bring them to light. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been involved in this project for all their efforts. Fantastic job from hard working and passionate people!

This is a splendid idea, and much needed for a region that is full of fascination, with both historical sites and contemporary culture that should be better known, as well as some of the most interesting (and delicious) traditional cuisine in all of Turkey. Southeastern Anatolia has so much to offer, to Turks as well as to those of us from other parts of the world, but the region has suffered in recent decades for a variety of reasons, not least a reputation for being a "difficult" place to visit. Hopefully this effort will bring about a much needed re-evaluation and strengthening of regional and inter-regional ties.

THIS IS A REGION OF TURKEY WHICH WAS FORGOTTEN. WITH THIS
PROJECT, THE MOSAIC OF WEALTH WILL BE RE-DISCOVERED BY ALL

This all may seem like a new idea to encourage tourism and culture binding.
Knowledge is everything and not matter how small a detail can be it would be counted of great significance to people.
This all is defenitely a unique approach to detail unknown information of a wonderful culture and heritage.

I had a unique pleasure to visit and work in South Eastern Anatolia last year at it has instantly become one of my favorite places in the world. It really is a place where people can go back to the roots and mysteries of human civilization. It is an amazing combination of both, old Mesopotamian flavor (in the endless fields of Mesopotamia, historical architecture and monuments) and beautiful, creative people. I especially admire the wholehearted and ambitious effort of Filiz to share the gems of her homeland with the rest of the world in such authentic and sincere way. All my best,
Tadeja Colnar Leskovsek, Slovenia

The region covered by this project is particularly rich in Roman mosaics. Not only are they a wonderful cultural asset in themselves, but mosaics capture the attention and are much appreciated by tourists as well as specialists. The Southeastern Anatolia Promotion Project makes good use of this asset and enriches both the people who live in the area and those who are inspired to visit it as tourists. I was fortunate to have been able to visit Gaziantep and the surrounding area last year, and I was greatly impressed by the work being carried out. I am a specialist in Roman mosaics and have visited museums throughout the world. I consider that the museum in Gaziantep (seen in some of the attachments to these Entry Details) is outstanding, and I wish the Project well.

I hope this will be a good chance to introduce ourselves all over the world.Congratulations on a great project!

I was very much pleased to have a look at that information I found on the website, specifically since I have been visiting the cities Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Mardin recently with my wife as a tourist. I would have been pleased to have got that information earlier; it would have helped me even more to enjoy my trip. But the nice guides are motivating me to visit as well other cities in the region on my next trip.
On your presentation I liked specifically that you have inserted a number of pictures which help to identify the places we were visiting and it was good that the text was clearly related to the respective pictures. (In other guides I have seen pictures, but no explanations of the pictures or too much text without pictures which is difficult to emagine from the guide what you can see when visiting the places.) This mistake you avoided and it was excellent.
It is always difficult to have in a small guide book like yours a city map inserted which provides an overview. This is a general problem. Some Guides have inserted a folded map which makes it a bid larger. I do not know if this is possible in your products as well.
What we enjoyed in Gaziantep and Sanliurfa specifically was that we met English and partly German speaking people in the tourist service sector (hotels, tourist guides) which we might not necessary have expected before. It might be worthwhile to mention it or to give contact details for English speaking tourist guides. In both cities we were impressed by very nice (private) hotels, partly designed as boutique hotels with a very cosy and friendly atmosphere. We enjoey to stay there. Personally we are recommending these hotels to our friends.
What we did not expect in Sanliurfa that it has such a green city centre. The large park there, nice places and pleasant restaurants to rest was very pleasant for us. We would not have expected such a nice green and relaxing place in a city close to the Syrian Desert.
Of course, you stress the culture and ancient history of the region and the cities. This was for us a real value. We realised that Turkey has such a large number of historical and ancient places to be visited that most of them were not mentioned or well described in the tourist guides we had available at that time when we visited the region. For us, even smaller places like rock graves were very impressive, since we do not have that historic culture in Europe (unfortunately, a number of those graves are still used as stalls for animals). What I want to say is that also less important places should not be neglected in a tourist guide; and it would be worthwhile to find out a bit of the history also about these "less important" places.
In general, congratulations to the work which is being done by your project. I do understand that you enjoy it and I am sure that you will be successful.
Jurgen Henke

Filiz Hosukoglu has hosted me and a writer of Conde Nast Traveler in the Southeast and I know her to be a tireless champion for the southeast. She has told me how the contribution of the Eu and the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce have given money to make this project possible.
I know that she and her team have worked very hard to bring this project to fruition. This is an area where true sustainable tourism is possible because the footprints of the modern world have not stepped so heavily on this area yet. This area has so much to offer in terms of history, archaeology, tourism, gastronomy and architecture. The fabric of the society is so warm and hospitable. In Turkey a visitor is considered a gift and this is how I was treated in the Southeast of Turkey. To win this contest would be so important for this that has not realized the economic potential of a lot of other areas of Turkey and will help local peoples economically and there is a real opportunity to realize their potential without spoiling the natural wonders and beauty of this area.

Dear,fr?ends we all must look our area so we must look our h?stor?cal vables and our planets problems,so we must keep our areas and advert?se about our H?stor?cal places you d?d all them thanks for youre work?ngs and tellings and so beatifull videos,I really saw them before because that areas so beatifull ,delicius foods,healty w?llage and lovely people,The turk?sh people so friendly and hosted.My friend from australia seh l?ke us.When she visit us I prom?se to go and see southeastern anatol?a,I really hope that th?s promot?on wery god.I hope all the world people understand our h?story and how can we owner them.See you and god keep us.

I was born in Istanbul. since i was a child, i was wondering how to visit to Southeatern of Turkey. but, i always work hard, and also it is going on harder and harder. it means there is no chances to visit anywhere in this diffifult conditions. we can watch from tv good place or read from some journals. Gaziantep is that i want to visit my one of best cities in Turkey. by the way, thanks to Filiz Hosukoglu, to try to show this place where is one of good place in Turkey Souteastern.

Actually, who wants to know this place? who wants to close this culture? who wants to eat unbeliable or unique taste? come and visit...you can be sure you are going to see happy with this.

I can't wait to see...

Congratulations on this amazing project! It is obviously very well thought and very hard worked on. I believe in everything Filiz does and i think she is a brilliant woman who puts her heart in everything she does. I support Filiz and her project all the way. Thank you Filiz for what you have done for Turkey.

Thanks to documentation of this site,people all over the world are aware of the beauty of South Eastern Anatolia.
The differences between Turkey and other cultures can be seen with this competition. Because its fascinating music,handicrafts, distinctive traditions, vibrant history and cookeries are such effective region that you can realize it among the other regions. Because of the fact that there has been no another city has got this kind of places.Such as the shining of the sun in Nemrut,Zeugma famous for its historical places all over the world.Urfa -The city of prophets-, Cathedrals in Mardin and Greek Castle which is the source of the christianity etc.
As a result, We can say that every part of South Eastern Anatolia is a gold which should be seen by everybody in the world.

One must know the past in order to understand the present and forecast the future. By its nature, the Southern Anatolia Promotion Project will contribute to spreading knowledge about the region and the significance for humanity of Mesopotamian history and culture.

Furthermore, if successful the project will help bridge the gap between regions in Turkey at different development levels.

As such, I believe the project is worth every possible support. Congratulations and best wishes for success.