I think that this is a great project for the Anatolia region. The Anatolia region has so much richness to offer to any tourists visiting Turkey.

Congratulations to the entire team for all their hard work on this important project.
The beauty and history of this part of Turkey is too often overlooked by tourists. I am sure that this ambitious endeavor will educate potential visitors, thus enticing them to visit this incredible part of the country.
This project is a great step forward for the region.
Kathy Hamilton
Today's Zaman

I want to congratulate Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce and Southeastern Anatolia Project Team. That is really a good job.

Being part of team brought all the memories working with experts, local researchers,photographers, film crew. All participants did their best in order to produce the best guide book, film and music CD for the sake of promoting the region. I understood from the valuable comments that we did our job.
Gokhan

I had the pleasure of living in South East Anatolia in 2003 - 2005.

While it is a really beautiful and stimulating place, its relative remoteness from the more popular tourism destinations of Turkey and the eastern Mediterrean makes it difficult for the region to establish a profile for itself, and to publicise it's wonderful tourism attractions

The current project is designed to raise the profile of the region and overcome some of the barriers to tourism, cross cultural and economic development. If it succeeds it will be a significant and welcome step forward.

I wish the project promoters every success.

John Toner
Hanoi
Vietnam

I can't find any word to add after these commentss...
The project is really impressive. Congratulations to this TEAM.
I just want to say;

WHY NOT YOU COME AND VISIT THE OLDEST CITY ON THE WORLD???
A city of 5600 years...

YOU ARE ALL WELCOME TO GAZIANTEP

This project is very IMPRESSIVE. It brings history and culture of southeastern region of Turkey to the attention of potential travelers and gives deeper understanding of this fascinating region. I congratulate all the people who participated. The innovative design covering photos of the historical places, local food and music touches people at an emotional level inviting them to travel to that region.

I have read the entry and as an American, well travelled in Turkey, I can attest to the bounty of history in this area. What the organizer wishes to do is daunting but with proper help and dedication is quite feasible. I have seen Turkish dedication to projects of all kinds and once they set a goal, appoint proper leaders and with proper financial resources, successful completion is generally assured. The need to highlight the history of this area is a critical issue in my mind. Where is there a proper place to highlight milleniums old Mesopotemia than in the area itself. The need to unveil knowledge about this area in world languages is a critical issue and needs serious help.

THis is an incredibly important project. Not only does it open our eyes for a part of our cultural heritage that has previously been neglected, it may also thoroughly change the way we view different, unknown parts of the world: not merely as areas of unrest and conflict, described in newspapers, but as stunningly beautiful and interesting places to visit, inhabited by amazing people who are willing to share their wisdom, history and treasures with us !
I can not wait to visit Southeast Turkey !

This entry made me yearn to spend time in Anatolia! The rich cultural heritage of this area forms a bridge between the traditions of East and West--experiencing this magnificent land can help us become true citizens of the world.

I am personally impressed by the project which provides an insightful presentation of the rich history of the region which once was a cradle of civilizations. Once again, by means of such projects we discover new horizons and cultural treasures that mankind has developed in the course of history. It is fascinated to see how rich the region has been in terms of cultures and historical heritage it inherited from civilizations which survived and visited the region. Thanks to those who sponsored and successfully coordinated such projects. I think we should support and encourage such endeavors for the benefits of humanity.

This project is already bringing the history and culture of southeastern region of Turkey to the attention of travelers who yearn for a deeper understanding of this fascinating region. Their work also increases the potential for broadening understanding between peoples. When you travel to southeastern Turkey, you are struck by the art, architecture and material culture of this very rich region. The Southeastern Anatolia Promotion Project is fulfilling an important need in introducing, and making accessible, one of the great regions of human history to the rest of the world.

I congratulate all the people who contributed to it.
It is a well designed and executed project that will definitely contribute to the Southeast Anatolian Region. I think the innovative aspect of the project is to targeting at a region rather than to a specific city, in that way we have a complete pack. It i great to see a well prepared and informative material.

Thank you
Sedat Ozen

I have lived in Kilis and I really love our culture.I would like to thank to everybody who lead this project..I totaly believe in that we have lots of thinks to mention about Southeastern Anatolia..you may need to live to figure out what a great treasure we have...THANK YOU EVERYBODY

I believe in that Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce has realized a wonderful project. I hope other non govermental organizations will take this project as a success story.
Tugba Dogan

TO THE PROJECT TEAM
I CONGRATULATE THE WHOLE PARTICIPANTS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROJECT. I AM SURE THIS PROJECT WILL BRING A NEW OUTLOOK TO THE REGION.

FARUK DAVUT YAKAR

TO THE PROJECT TEAM
I CONGRATULATE THE WHOLE PARTICIPANTS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROJECT. I AM SURE THIS PROJECT WILL BRING A NEW OUTLOOK TO THE REGION.

FARUK DAVUT YAKAR

I have living in Gaziantep since 1997. I watched Shoutheastern Anatolia Promotion Films and listenend Folks Music.
I think that is excellent.

Southeastern Anatolia has been kept in seconder position for many years and suffered from lack of awareness of public. However, there are stunningly beautiful sites and attractions for travellers and tourists and also potential sources for marketing and trading. Surely, this project will create the awareness and attention that the region deserves and needs.

Funda Batmazoglu Alkan

I deeply appreciate the contributions of the project in rising the awareness of not only foreigners but also Turks who know very litte about this region of Turkey with many hidden treasures. I am positive that the project will reshape the way people approach Southeast Anatolia and what it very genereously offers. I congradulate and thank the entire team who made this possible.

To the project team and Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce
It is obvious that this project is a team work. The region will benefit from the outputs of project.I run a travel agency in the region and I personally know that South East Anatolia has a lot to offer; food, archeology, natural beauties, history, architecture,and hospitality which is identified with the region.
Omer

Geographical, political, cultural and historical importance of our hometown deserves such attention. I appreciate your work and thank you. It is time to go east!

? congragulate filiz and her team
its a great contrubution to regions adv.
best wishes...:)

This is a very important project for introducing the beatuies and the cultures of this magnificent region.
You can find many details about the southeastern anatolia.
The photographes and the given details about the region are awesome.
Thanks to all participants who worked for this valuable project.

@lper

This is a wonderful project about Turkish culture. Photographes are great.Everyone must come to this city and see... Thanks to preparers...

Mesopotamia is the cradle of culture known to people all around the world in vague thus an interest is already present. This project will open new doors and enliven a subject which needs a lot of attention for the benenfit of cross cultural living, making people aware once again or anew of one of the oldest achievements of mankind as well being a model for other places yet to be discovered. I feel this project will be milestone in recovering the past at its invariable and invaluable aspects. Congratulations to Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce.
Engin

I am from Bangladesh where we see so many of the same problems that you are facing: tourists unaware of the beauties of our native place and linguistic challenges for the few adventurous enough to come and see the place.

I wish you the very best with this competition. It is great to see so many comments and so much appreciation of your work. Maybe some day the same will be said of a project from my country!

I think this is a very successful and useful project for the South East Anat?olia Region of Turkey. This region is one of the spectacular regions in Turkey and has an enormous historical view. So the project itself, will have a strong effect to introduce this region to all over the world. Congratulations to all the people who worked for preparing and implementin the project.

Having lived and served in the said region of Turkey for 11 years (1973-84), I find the project and the ensuing product profoundly stimulating, in particular for those with limited knowledge of Southeastern Turkey.

The historic, ethnological, social, and cultural *infrastructure* of Southeastern Turkey has been carefully charted for the layperson with diverse backgrounds and interests, as well as potentially triggering scholarly activity for the specialist.

I value the project as a significant step in bringing down superficial stereotyping among the peoples of our planet and laying down concrete pathways for *unedited* mutual understanding, thereby promoting global peace.

Ms Filiz Hosukoglu should be commended for her outstanding production covering one of the focal regions of our planet, together with its ancient history, civilization, and multilayered ethnic structure. In my humble judgement her meticulous work sets a very high standard among her peers aiming for similar goals declared in her opening statement.

Sincerely,

Dr. Can Akkoc
University of South Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
USA

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Can Akkoc

Having lived and served in the said region of Turkey for 11 years (1973-84), I find the project and the ensuing product profoundly stimulating, in particular for those with limited knowledge of Southeastern Turkey.

The historic, ethnological, social, and cultural *infrastructure* of Southeastern Turkey has been carefully charted for the layperson with diverse backgrounds and interests, as well as potentially triggering scholarly activity for the specialist.

I value the project as a significant step in bringing down superficial stereotyping among the peoples of our planet and laying down concrete pathways for *unedited* mutual understanding, thereby promoting global peace.

Ms Filiz Hosukoglu should be commended for her outstanding production covering one of the focal regions of our planet, together with its ancient history, civilization, and multilayered ethnic structure. In my humble judgement her meticulous work sets a very high standard among her peers aiming for similar goals declared in her opening statement.

Sincerely,

Dr. Can Akkoc
University of South Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
USA

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Can Akkoc

This project draws national and international attention to one of the historically and culturally richest regions of the world which has long been forgotten / ignored. Without any significant support from the government, the project highlights the mosaic of the region from the local points of view which makes the project even more attractive. Southeastern Anatolia which has for long been in a bad economic shape and has been corroded with terrorist attacks needs to be revived and economically restored to its original abundance.
On behalf of all the members of the project group, I would like to thank Ms. Filiz Hosukoglu for all the effort she has put into this project. I hope they will eventually achieve and even surpass their aims.
I would deeply recommend everyone to visit the area especially for those who are interested in history and cuisine!

This project outputs become the most significant guide for Southern Anatolia. Before this project there was not any useful source about cultural structure of the region which became a focal point of many civilizations.

Especially the works about Zeugma region has more importance because the mosaics is the imcomparable mosaics in the world.

I congratulate Ms.Filiz Hosukoglu for such a succesful project.

It's a wonderful learning experience that not only gives us information but also makes us feel globally close to each other

BRILLIANT PROJECT!!
I am from the mesmerising country of spices, tradition and culture.MMMM Right guess I am from INDIA.
While going through the project I experinced the feel of entering into the world of creativity. Your project has really proved how we can really bring the world together and let everyone know about the culture and tradition of that country.
I must mention that this project has started planting the seeds of thoughts and ideas in me. I am highly impressed by the quality of work, which initself speaks about the amount of effort and hard work pur up by every soul.
A marvellous example of "Synergy"
Well done! Keep it up!!

Southeast Anatolia is verr cultural and historical part of Turkey. This Region is one of the old settlement place of the World. Many civilisations lived here. Because of this characteristic the Region has a very big historical and cultural value. The Project about Region is playing very important role for promoting of the cultural heritage in the Region. The way of presentation like guide , film and local music were prepered very well. You can get very professional help from the materials when you trip to the Region.
Thanks to the all related parties
Figen

I am delighted with the hard work achieved. I am sure that it will also contribute to the lfestyle and economics of the region. Congratulations.

Dear Friends,

Due to my job, I accompany many high level (ministors, ambassadors, govt. officials etc) visitors to this region. I have not met anyone that was not impressed. All the historical sites in the SE Anatolia region left all visitors speechless. I personally know Filiz Hosukoglu. Many people try to do "their best" when doing a task. But Filiz Hosukoglu puts her heart into what she does. I think this explains what kind of work she has done. She and her proposal deserve all the credit. By promoting this region, the cross-cultural understading will be improved and increased. The more people visit this region, the more they will understand a different culture. Finding out more about different cultures also brings understanding among people of these cultures. We all have to accept that Filiz Hosukoglu's project/work will definately serve the purpose of peace development efforts.

Ahmet Tokdemir

Author/OZYAYCi

GAZIANTEP CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Southeastern Anatolia Project financed by Gaziantep Chamber Of Commerce-GTO and
EU , implemented by GTO is such a success story of an Non Govermental Organization . GTO is not only serving for the local businessmen and by this project GTO introduced a wonderful guide of the region, a film which covers natural beauties, historical sites, handicrafs, architecture, and food, a compilation of local songs from 9 cities, which are all luckily on the web

http://seanatolianheritage.org/eng/
http://seanatolianheritage.org/

All these outputs of the project will help more people to come to the region, discover the beauties, and help intercultural dialogue.

How great to meet with Mehmet Aslan, Hanefi Yilmaz, Mesut Olcal, Figen Celikturk valuable, hard-working team of administration of the Chamber. I’m always proud of Filiz Hosukoglu
-my valuable, hard-working, childhood friend-. How great it was to meet with my friend Lindee Rochelle and her unique comments and her esteemed impressions on Southeastern Anatolia-GAZIANTEP and the Project here... “

During a visit to Gaziantep in June 2007 we had the pleasure of meeting Filiz Hosukoglu and her colleagues and hearing about the SE Anatolia project - a major undertaking! It is a great pleasure to see the end result, and Filiz and her team are to be heartily congratulated on the excellent quality of the materials they have produced. Filiz's administrative and organisational skills are apparent from the relevance and depth of the information provided across the broad range of subjects covered in the various brochures, and the gorgeous images that accompany the beautifully written and well-balanced texts are a delight (love the marvellously symbolic doors!) The region will benefit greatly from all the dedicated work invested in this project, and visitors to SE Anatolia in the future will find themselves exceedingly well informed... E & L send felicitations!

I really want to congratulate the team on producing such a fascinating DVD. I was pleasent surprise to see the meaningful information given in this project,on which you were working for past two years. Very professional work!

smita.