Academics’ Intercultural Trip to Turkey

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:00 in Intercultural Exploration Trips

Where: Turkey

An intercultural exploration of Turkey, Turkish culture and history. Delegates not only visit popular historic and touristic sites, but do so in comfort and with the lead of experienced guides. What is more, this is not a tour of simply sites and museums but one of people and culture. Therefore, the tour is specifically tailored to maximise such exposure. One way this is achieved is by hosting the group for dinner at a Turkish family’s home; another way is by arranging meetings with locals and students. Each trip also includes meetings with those of the same or related field to the visiting delegates to help facilitate partnerships through which lasting friendships and meaningful dialogue can be achieved. Ample time for shopping and dining is also provided.

Objective

To project a positive image and understanding of Britain in Turkey.
To develop links with key Turkish educational, media and voluntary sector organisations.
To develop a better understanding of 'Turkish Muslimness' and civil society.

Prof Simon Robinson, Dr Steve Wright and Revd Clive Barrett of Leeds Metropolitan University were on their fourth visit to Turkey organised by the Dialogue Society in March 2008. The meeting facilitated by the Dialogue Society aimed to finalise discussions between Leeds Metropolitan University and Fatih University in Turkey and sign the ERASMUS (Active Wikipedia link explaining the ERASMUS Programme) project, which encourages and supports academic mobility of higher education students and teachers within the European Union. The Leeds Met group also interviewed possible candidates for their new centre opening in September, the ‘Centre for Religion, Spirituality and Public Life.

During the second part of their visit, the Dialogue Society introduced the group to the Journalists and Writers Foundation. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of engaging Istanbul in a global network of Peace Museums around the world. Revd Clive Barrett leading the project in the UK put forward a project proposal on how a Peace Museum could be implemented within the historic city of Istanbul and the necessary foundations.

Leeds Metropolitan University also explored the possibility of further projects between other educational and interfaith institutions.