ERZINCAN TO HOST AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARLY FESTIVAL
The International Symposium on the Turkification and Islamization of Anatolia: Erzincan, the Gateway of Anatolia will be held between 16–18 October 2025, offering an interdisciplinary exploration of the processes through which Anatolia became Turkified and Islamized. The three-day symposium will serve as a meeting point of science and culture.
Having played a significant role throughout history in the Turkification and Islamization of Anatolia, Erzincan will once again bring its deep-rooted past to the fore through an international academic event. Organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Directorate General of Foundations, under the leadership of the Governorate of Erzincan, with the contributions of Erzincan Municipality, and hosted by Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University, the symposium will take place from 16 to 18 October 2025.
The opening ceremony will be held on Thursday, 16 October, at the Prof. Dr. Erdoğan Büyükkasap Congress and Culture Center of Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University. The program will include protocol speeches, an exhibition of sacred relics, a documentary screening, and the presentation of awards and plaques.
The symposium will address a wide range of themes, including Turkish migrations and settlement policies, Sufi and dervish traditions, the role of waqf institutions in social life, urbanization, architecture and art history, the transformation of language and literature, folk beliefs, war archaeology and conquest strategies, gravestone art and handicrafts, educational institutions, and changes in the roles of women and family structures.
The Director General of Foundations, Mr. Sinan Aksu, will also deliver a presentation focusing on the Waqf History and Waqf Heritage of Erzincan.
A GRAND GATHERING IN PURSUIT OF HISTORY BEGINS TOMORROW IN ERZİNCAN
The symposium, which will bring together numerous academics and researchers, features an Honor Committee including Binali Yıldırım, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Erzincan Governor Assoc. Prof. Hamza Aydoğdu, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Dr. Batuhan Mumcu, Director General of Foundations Sinan Aksu, Erzincan Deputies Süleyman Karaman and Mustafa Sarigül, Mayor of Erzincan Bekir Aksun, and Rector of Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Prof. Dr. Akın Levent.
HISTORICAL HERITAGE TO BE CARRIED INTO THE FUTURE
The symposium will examine the Turkification and Islamization of Anatolia from multiple perspectives—history, culture, literature, art, and social life—shedding light on the evolution of Turkish-Islamic civilization in Anatolia. It aims to build a bridge between the past and the future while strengthening collective memory and offering a universal perspective on Anatolia’s cultural identity.
Far more than a series of academic papers, the symposium will be enriched with art events and social programs. Participants will experience a comprehensive festival of knowledge that unites past and present amid the historical fabric of Erzincan.
