Italian Culture Minister Giuli: Turkey is a global reference point
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy met with Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli during his visit to Rome, the capital of Italy. The meeting discussed cultural collaborations between the two countries, joint exhibitions, cultural diplomacy efforts, and projects planned for the future. Evaluations were made on advancing the strengthened cultural relations between Turkey and Italy in recent years to a higher level.
Following the bilateral meeting, Minister Ersoy and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli inaugurated the 'Troy and Rome: Myths, Legends, and Stories of the Ancient Mediterranean' exhibition held at the Colosseum Archaeological Park. Speaking at the opening, Italian Culture Minister Giuli stated that the exhibition reveals the millennia-old bond between the most important cultures of the Mediterranean, emphasizing that the relationship between Troy and Rome is not only a thing of the past.
Giuli conveyed that the Aeneas narrative reunites the histories of Italy and Turkey, Rome and Anatolia, and stressed that this relationship remains vibrant today. In his speech, Giuli also highlighted Turkey's role on the international stage, stating, "Today, more than ever, Turkey is a global reference point due to its great capacity to stand out as a stabilizing element on the international scene, to establish dialogue, to produce creativity, and to share it with the whole world."
Minister Ersoy noted that the Colosseum, one of the most magnificent structures in human history, once again hosted Turkish-Italian cultural cooperation, stating that Anatolia's unique cultural heritage met the world in the heart of Rome. Emphasizing that Troy is one of the founding narratives not only of Anatolia but also of Europe's cultural memory, Ersoy stated that the exhibition is a strong indicator of the cooperation between the two countries.
Ersoy said, "The Troy and Rome exhibition we opened today is a concrete result of the cultural dialogue that has strengthened between Italy and Turkey in recent years. It is also a strong step in cultural diplomacy sincerely taken together for more."
The exhibition, which brings together works selected from the collections of 19 museums in Turkey, presents the historical and cultural ties between Troy and Rome from the perspectives of mythology, archaeology, and cultural heritage to visitors. The exhibition will introduce the shared memory and civilization heritage of the Mediterranean to international visitors.
The opening of the exhibition was attended by Turkey's Ambassador to Rome Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, Turkey's Ambassador to the Vatican Fahrettin Altun, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı, Çanakkale Governor Ömer Toraman, AK Party Deputy Chairman and Istanbul Deputy Zafer Sırakaya, Çanakkale Deputy Ayhan Gider, Çanakkale Mayor Muharrem Erkek, General Director of Cultural Heritage and Museums Birol İnceciköz, General Director of Investment and Enterprises Neşet Çıldık, and President of the Gallipoli Historical Area of the Çanakkale Wars İsmail Kaşdemir.
TURKEY'S SUPPORT FOR TWO NEW EXHIBITIONS
Minister Ersoy also announced that Turkey will provide support for the 'The Business of the Roman Empire' exhibition to be opened by the Italian Ministry of Culture in September and the 'Global Antiquity: Cultural Interactions in the Afro-Eurasian Space' exhibition to be opened by the Prada Foundation in November.
As part of his visit to Rome, Minister Ersoy also visited the Yunus Emre Institute and received information about the activities carried out at the center. Examining the efforts to promote Turkish culture, art, and language internationally, Ersoy toured the watercolor exhibition held at the institute.
