EVENTS
Event Highlights
MSRS Organized the “Türkiye – Ancient Silk Road Exploration”
2024-06-01
The “Türkiye – Ancient Silk Road Exploration” tour, organized by Maritime Silk Road Society (MSRS) and supported by Travel Theory and Barefoot Project was held from 31 May to 11 June.
Ms Susanna Cheung, renowned writer and Director of Barefoot Project, was the docent of the tour. During the trip, she introduced Mesopotamia, the cradle of human civilization, detailed the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire and analyzed the geopolitics of the region.
Mr Alex Wong, CEO of MSRS, was the leader of the delegation which comprised 41 people.
Moreover, MSRS partially sponsored 11 full-time students to participate with the aim of promoting international cultural exchange.
On the second day after arriving in Istanbul, the tour transferred by domestic flight to Gaziantep and visited Zeugma Mozaik Müzesi to appreciate the ancient Mosaic art. In the evening, the group took a stroll at an ancient bazaar in Gaziantep.
In the morning of the third day, the tour visited Zeugma Antik Kenti - the original site of Zeugma Mozaik Müzesi displays. In the afternoon, the tour went to Şanlıurfa to enjoy a boat trip to appreciate the spectacular view of the Euphrates in Halfeti, where it is well known as one of the most beautiful villages on earth and the only place on earth where black roses grow; and Balıklıgöl, the birthplace of Abraham. In the evening, the tour enjoyed dinner and traditional music performance in a famous restaurant.
The fourth day started with a visit to Göbeklitepe (designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018) – the zero point of history, to explore the ancient architecture of the gigantic stones. Then, the journey continued in Harran Ancient City and Şanlıurfa Ancient City.
The fifth day of the tour began with travelling to Adıyaman for Nemrut Dağı National Park to appreciate heritages including Nemrut Dağ (inscribed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987), Karakuş Tumulus and Cendere Köprüsü (known as one of the oldest bridges still in use in the world). Then, the group went up 500 steps to watch the sunset, also known as one of the must-watch sunsets in the world.
On the sixth day, the tour travelled to Diyarbakır to visit Zerzevan Kalesi (a military castle on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage) and Mithras Tapınağı. The delegation was received by Mr Firat Seydaoğlu, Mayor of Eğil.
The next day, the delegates visited Ulu Camii and Diyarbakır Walls in Diyarbakır (Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape was inscribed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015).
On the eighth day, the tour transferred to Mardin for visits to Kasımiye Madrasah, Deyrulzafaran Manastırı (the monastery became one of the nine churches and monasteries in Tur Abdin, which was included in the World Heritage Tentative List by UNESCO in 2021) and Dara Ancient City.
On the next day, the tour continued the journey in Old Mardin City in the morning. After enjoying lunch at Zamarot 1890 restaurant founded by the award-winning chef Ebru Baybara Demir. The restaurant is Demir’s first “zero waste” restaurant aiming to support Mardin’s tourism and sustainable agriculture. The tour experienced a soap making at an Aleppo soap workshop before taking the domestic flight to Istanbul.
On the tenth day, the tour visited Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace Museum (part of Historic Areas of Istanbul inscribed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985), the Basilica Cistern and a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus.
On the last day, the tour spent the morning wandering around Fener & Balat and Pierre Loti for the best spot of the Golden Horn view. After lunch, the tour enjoyed shopping in the Grand Bazaar – the most famous and oldest bazaar in Istanbul, and Spice Bazaar – Istanbul’s major spice trading market. Meanwhile, a nine-member delegation of MSRS paid a courtesy call to the office of the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye (DEİK) to meet their representatives and exchange views on cultural collaboration.
During the exploration, the delegation was interviewed by several local and national media organizations. In addition, Ms Susanna Cheung also arranged the student members to talk to two Syrian writers who shared their experience as refugees. In order to demonstrate her concern to the refugee orphans, Ms Cheung led several participants to visit a local charitable organization in Istanbul that supports and provides education to refugees.
Click here for the winning article (Chinese only).
Media coverages:
Çin'in Hong Kong Özel İdari Bölgesi'nden 41 kişilik kafile Diyarbakır'a geldi (Turkish only)
41 kişilik Çinli turist kafilesi Diyarbakır’a geldi (Turkish only)
Diyarbakır için Hong Kong'dan geldiler (Turkish only)
Interview with NTV during "Türkiye – Ancient Silk Road Exploration" (Turkish only)
Interview with TV100 during "Türkiye – Ancient Silk Road Exploration" (Turkish only)
