'Kastamonu Poets and Writers Symposium-I,' organized under the auspices of the Governorship of Kastamonu, in cooperation with the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and Kastamonu University Culture Art Application and Research Centre, started on 17 January 2025 in the multi-purpose hall of Rıfat Ilgaz Cultural Centre.
Kastamonu Governor Meftun Dallı, Kastamonu University Culture Art Application and Research Center Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeki Gürel, Provincial Culture and Tourism Director M. Kerem Seven, academicians, representatives of public institutions and organizations, citizens, researchers, and literature lovers attended the opening program.
Speaking at the symposium's opening, Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism M. Kerem Seven said a Mehmet Akif Ersoy Cultural Centre will be built in Kastamonu. They stated they had worked on this project for a long time and got positive results.
Kastamonu University Culture Art Application and Research Centre Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeki Gürel emphasized the historical and cultural heritage of Kastamonu and expressed the importance of maintaining the university tradition of the city.
Governor of Kastamonu Meftun Dallı also drew attention to the importance of preserving the city's literary tradition and transferring it to future generations. He stated that this tradition has continued from the Ottoman period to the present and has been reinforced, especially with critical literary figures raised at Abdurrahmanpaşa High School. He also emphasized the necessity of transferring these values to young people.
Following the opening program, the first session was chaired by Assoc. Assoc chaired Prof. Dr. Onur Hasdedeoğlu and the first session. Assoc. Çağla Akar ‘Tahir Karaoğuz,’ Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Hasdedeoğlu ‘Oğuz Atay’ and Assoc. Assist. Prof. Dr. Osman Eroğlu made presentations on 'Rıfat Ilgaz.'
The second day of the symposium, Saturday, 18 January 2025, will continue with an intensive program under the chairmanship of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülten Küçükbaşmacı, Kamil Serhoşoğlu ‘Aşık Yorgansız Hakkı Çavuş,’ Mehmet Öztürk ‘Aşık Kemali,’ Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülten Küçükbaşmacı will make presentations titled 'Aşık İhsan Ozanoglu' and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeki Gürel will make a presentation titled 'Aşık Mümin Meydanı.'
Prof. Dr. Abdullah Aydın will chair the third session. In this section, Dr Mustafa Eski ‘Fazil Bekri,’ Hamdi Nalbant ‘Ahmed Mahir Efendi,’ Prof. Dr. Lecturer. Prof. Dr. Serap Denizmen will make a speech titled 'Ömer Zeki Arıkanlızade,' and Prof. Dr. Abdullah Aydın will make a speech titled 'Literary Community in Kastamonu in the Ottoman Period.'
Assoc will chair the last session of the symposium. Prof. Dr. Tuba Dalar. In this section, Dr. Nazlı Rana Gürel ‘İbrahim Ethem Pertev Pasha,’ Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuba Dalar ‘Orhan Şaik Gökyay,’ Lecturer. Assist. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Karasu will make presentations on 'Hüsnü Açıksöz' and Ufuk Tidim on 'Talat Mümtaz Yaman.'
The symposium will end with the reading of the symposium statement by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeki Gürel and the closing program with the participation of Kastamonu Provincial Culture and Tourism M. Kerem Seven.
