The “11th International Balkan History Congress” organized with the contributions of the Federation of Black Sea Rumelian Associations (KARDEF) and Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) was organized in Samsun.

Governor of Samsun Osman Kaymak, Samsun Deputies, OMU Vice Rector Prof. Vedat Ceyhan, mayors, academicians and representatives of nongovernmental organizations attended the congress.

The congress held at the Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Hall started with the opening of the Salonika and Immigration Oil Paint Exhibition and 19th century Ottoman Black Sea Maritime and Maritime Vehicles Photography Exhibition. Delivering the opening speech of the congress, KARDEF President Kemalettin Altınsoy said “Nations and people who forget their past and fail to transfer their cultural heritage to the next generations are obliged to lose their own culture and remain cultureless coming under the influence of other cultures. In this scope, the more we protect our own culture and history and the cultural heritage we brought from Balkans the more we get stronger. Therefore, we place emphasis on social and cultural activities to keep our culture alive”.

"Our Geography of Heart Extends over 7 Continents"

Speaking at the congress, İlkadım Mayor Erdoğan Tok stated “Just a century ago Skopje was to us what is Bursa today; Baghdad, Mosul, Salonika, Kırcaali was as is İstanbul, Edirne, Balıkesir, Samsun. Thus, we say today; Turkey is bigger than Turkey. The boundaries of our civilization geography of heart stretch from Balkans to Caucasia, from there to Middle Asia, i.e. to seven continents. As the poet says: ‘What makes flags is the blood on them; the land is a homeland if people die for it’. Hence, during our people’s presence in this geography for a thousand years they have waved our flag and made these lands our homeland kneading Anatolia’s steppes, Aegean’s, Thrace’s, Mediterranean’s fertile plains; Black Sea’s green hills; East Anatolia’s majestic mountains; ancient settlement zones between Euphrates and Tigris; Balkans with all their colors;  i.e. every span of our homeland with blood”.

"They are trying to tear us down from all sides"

MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) Kocaeli Deputy Saffet Sancaklı said “We lost our homeland on the way to Balkans, and lost the homeland again on the way back. This is our last homeland. I am proud of the Balkan people. Balkan nations may also have positive and negative sides, as all people do. But have you ever seen a traitor come out of Balkans? I want this from you: We are in in commerce, in NGO’s, but out in politics. That’s why I want you to get into politics. It’s been continuously talked about ethnicity. This one is Bosnian, Circassian, that one Laz, Kurdish. I grew up in the Gazi District. We grew up side by side with our Kurdish brethren. But we never asked each other from where we came. We have been living fraternally for thousands of years. These are intentional provocations. We have to be very careful. Today they are trying to tear us down from all sides. We have to be very careful. It’s none of my business which party you vote for or whose lead you follow. The only thing that matters to me is the indivisible integrity of the Republic of Turkey and its continuation”.

"Balkans is an important Turkish settlement zone"

Stating that Balkans is an important Turkish settlement zone, Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak said “The grandchildren of Balkan Turks have faced serious problems during the early 20th century. The Ottoman state lost its Balkan territories due to the non-muslim revolts started with the temptation of European countries. As a result of immigrations 5 million of our people migrated to Anatolia. Sevres, a project to cast out the Turkish people from Anatolia, had been prevented by the War of Independence under the leadership of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk”.

AK Party Samsun Deputies Hasan Basri Kurt and Orhan Kırcalı, CHP Samsun Deputy Hayati Tekin, Macedonia Turkish Movement Party Chairman and Deputy Enes İbrahim, İYİ Party Kayseri Deputy Yusuf Halaçoğlu, Samsun Commutation Society Head Olcay Yanık, 24th period AK Party İzmir Deputy Rıfat Said and MHP Samsun former Deputy Hüseyin Edis conveyed speeches during the congress.

During the congress, İlkadım Mayor Erdoğan Tok gave a present to Prof. Dr. Bayram Kodaman, who was the dean of the OMU Faculty of Education between 1985 and 1993 and one of the member of honor of Turkish Historical Society, for their contribution to the Turkish history.

“The 11th International Balkan History Congress” ended on December 3.