Two works brought to cultural publishing by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism met with representatives of the publishing world at the National Library. Speaking at the program, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that they opened access to a wide written heritage with the Aleksandre Jaba Collection, and that they recorded the transformation of the historical Rami Barracks into a contemporary library and cultural center with the Rami Library book.
Emphasizing that public service in the field of culture includes the responsibility of researching, protecting, sustaining and disseminating cultural values, Ersoy stated that the two works introduced are reflections of this understanding in different fields.
“WE WILL STRENGTHEN OUR COMMON BELONGING WITH THE UNIFYING POWER OF CULTURE”
Minister Ersoy stated that the works that emerged in different languages and literary traditions in Anatolia and its surroundings for centuries are valuable resources in terms of understanding the cultural history of this geography.
Stating that they handle cultural heritage with a holistic approach, Ersoy said:
"We see every work produced in these lands, every language spoken and every cultural value kept alive as a part of our common heritage. As we preserve our cultural richness and pass it on to future generations, we get to know each other better and strengthen our brotherhood."
Ersoy, who also touched upon the goal of a Terror-free Türkiye in his speech, used the following statements:
"The goal of Turkey Without Terrorism, which is advancing with the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the strong support of the Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party, Mr. Devlet Bahçeli, is the expression of our nation's will to walk towards the future in peace, unity and solidarity. We will continue to strengthen our common belonging with the unifying power of culture and contribute to a future where every citizen can find himself in the cultural life of this country."
69 KURDISH WORKS ARE TOGETHER IN A 15-VOLUME COLLECTION
Stating that the original version of the Aleksandre Jaba Collection consists of 13 volumes, Ersoy said that the collection is presented to the reader in 15 volumes in line with the scope and format of the Ministry's publication work.
The collection, which started with Jaba's interest in Kurdish during his duty in Erzurum and expanded with the contributions of Molla Mahmud Bayezidî, includes facsimiles of a total of 69 Kurdish works.
The publication prepared in collaboration with Mardin Artuklu University Living Languages Institute in Turkey; In addition to language and literature, it also brings together sources related to folk culture, folklore, oral narrative tradition and social life of the period.
Stating that there are review and description texts in Turkish and Kurdish in each volume, Ersoy stated that these texts increase the usage value of the collection for researchers.
Ersoy said, “Therefore, with this study, we have turned cultural material into a collective, organized and accessible publication that researchers can use in different fields.” he said.
WORK ON THE PUBLISHING OF KURDISH CLASSICS SINCE 2010
Reminding that the Ministry has been publishing Kurdish classical works with their Turkish translations since 2010, Ersoy stated that 17 titles in this context will meet the readers by 2025.
Emphasizing that this accumulation reveals the continuity of the work, Ersoy said that the Aleksandre Jaba Collection creates a new link that reaches a broader written heritage.
Ersoy noted that examining works produced in different cultural environments with scientific methods and making them accessible through publication are among the important responsibilities of public broadcasting.
FROM HISTORICAL BARRACKS TO WORLD AWARD-WINNING LIBRARY
Making evaluations about the book "Rami Library", which was introduced at the launch, Ersoy said that the work covers the transformation of the historical building in all its aspects.
Stating that Rami's story goes beyond a restoration project, Ersoy stated that today the library brings together books, manuscripts, research, culture and art activities, education and social life under the same roof.
Ersoy said, “We have ensured that a structure and memory that we inherited from the past re-established a relationship with today's needs and became available for the use of future generations.” he said.
Reminding that Rami Library was deemed worthy of the world's first place in the large-scale project category in the Green Library Award of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions in 2026, Ersoy stated that this success shows that the approach adopted has received international response.
HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE AND TRANSFORMATION OF RAMI IN THE SAME WORK
The book “Rami Library”; It presents the history of the building, its architecture, its transformation and the functions it undertakes today to the reader with academic articles, architectural drawings, plans, photographs and expert evaluations.
Emphasizing that the book will also serve as a resource for research to be conducted in the coming years, Ersoy said, "Beyond an introductory book, we have created a comprehensive resource that can be referenced for researchers who will work on the Rami Library in the future." he said.
“FUNDAMENTAL CRITERIA, CULTURAL AND SCIENTIFIC VALUE”
Addressing the representatives of the broadcasting industry, Ersoy pointed out that public broadcasting has its own responsibilities.
Stating that works that are difficult to publish commercially, require a long preparation process, appeal to a specialized readership, and need to be recorded due to their cultural value constitute an important part of this responsibility, Ersoy said:
"One of the basic criteria for the Ministry's publications is that the published work has cultural and scientific value and can become a permanent resource."
Stating that they closely follow the transformation in all stages of the sector, from editorial preparation to design, from printing techniques to digital publishing, Ersoy stated that they attach importance to benefiting from the experience of the publishing sector and strengthening the communication between the public and private sectors.
At the end of his speech, Minister Ersoy thanked the academics, researchers, editors, translators, designers, Mardin Artuklu University Institute of Living Languages in Turkey and the employees of the General Directorate of Libraries and Publications who contributed to the preparation of the two works.
