The 2nd
Şehr-i Nuh National Photography Competition, organized in collaboration
between the School of Tourism and Hotel Management and the Şırnak
Culture, Tourism, and Promotion Association, was successfully held under
the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Şırnak
Governorship, Şırnak Municipality, and Şırnak University.
The award
ceremony of the competition took place at the 15 July Congress Center,
with the participation of War Correspondent and Photographer Coşkun Aral
and the jury members, along with Şırnak Governor Birol Ekici, Şırnak
Mayor Mehmet Yarka, Professor Dr. Abdurrahim Alkış, our Rector, Assoc.
Prof. Dr. Sedat Çelik, Director of the School of Tourism and Hotel
Management, and Dr. Gökhan Kadırhan, Deputy Director, as well as
numerous photographers and students.
During the
opening speech of the award ceremony by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedat Çelik,
Rector Professor Dr. Abdurrahim Alkış emphasized that despite Şırnak's
significance in sacred texts, the city has not been sufficiently promoted until
today. He stated, "Our city, which is a Prophet’s City, has many
historical and natural beauties that should be seen. We have natural beauties
that are not inferior to Switzerland’s Davos or Geneva. In my
opinion, the Hell Valley (Cehennem Deresi), which is as beautiful as
paradise and should actually be named Gelîyê Bihuştê, the Çalyan
Waterfall in Beytüşşebap, Fareşin Plateau, Mount Cudi
where Noah's Ark is said to have landed, Ebul-iz Cezeri Museum, the
first museum to feature robotic coding in history, and many other historical
and natural sites in Şırnak deserve to be seen. However, due to
insufficient promotion, lack of facilities, and transportation challenges, the
city has not been visible enough. I would like to thank President Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan, our ministries, the governorship, and our municipality for
their serious contributions in terms of transportation. In addition, events
like this provide an opportunity to promote our city. I would like to express
my gratitude to all the institutions and individuals who contributed to this
event.”
Following
this, Coşkun Aral, the war correspondent and photographer, shared his
life experiences and journalism insights through archival footage. The veteran journalist
continued, saying, “I am very happy to be here today, returning to my hometown
and being with all of you. I am also from Siirt, and Şırnak was
once part of Siirt. In my 13-year-old career, I witnessed wars and
conflicts in many countries, from Afghanistan to Rwanda, Palestine
to Latin America. I was the first to report on the first airplane
hijacking, and events like the protests in Poland led by Lech
Wałęsa. Our region is rich in gastronomy, history, and natural beauties. Xenophon,
in his book Anabasis written in 400 BC, mentioned the Kurds and this
geography. In the Louvre Museum, there is a painting of a war, and the
battle depicted in the painting took place at the point where Botan River
flows into the Tigris River. When the Ilisu Dam was constructed,
artifacts from the Neolithic era were uncovered. A deer statue from the Bronze
Age was found, as well as small objects made around 5000 BC,
resembling chess pieces. Many historical artifacts, including these, are
displayed in the Batman Museum.”
After the
speeches, the award ceremony took place. In the competition, where 99
participants submitted 495 photographs, the winners were: Ahmet
Aslan with "Faraşin Photograph" in first place, Hasan Açan
with "Gabar Petrol Photograph" in second place, Bestami Bodruk
with "Skiing Fun in Faraşin in July" in third place, and Esengül
Alıcı Biber with "Kızıl Çarşamba Celebration" winning an
honorable mention.
5/5/2025 | Turizm Ve Otel İşletmeciliği Yüksekokulu
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