The Nowruz Festival, which is considered as the awakening of nature and the herald of the coming of spring in Middle Eastern and Anatolian cultures, was celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy by the Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) family.
Governor of Samsun Osman Kaymak, Samsun Member of Parliament Erhan Usta, Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Bilgiç, Samsun Deputy Governor Sezgin Üçüncü, Vice-Rectors Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kuran and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Cengiz, Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Menderes Kabadayı, faculty deans, academicians, administrative staff, and a great number of students attended the Nowruz Festival celebrations held at the open field of OMU Student Centre.
Saplings were planted in front of the OMU Foundation College before the start of the celebrations which were regarded as the official Nowruz celebration of the city of Samsun and were organized with the cooperation of Samsun Governorship. Governor Kaymak, Rector Bilgiç, and members of the protocol planted saplings together with the students. Governor Kaymak and Rector Bilgiç then visited the OMU Foundation College.
In addition, before attending the celebrations, Governor Kaymak, Rector Bilgiç, Vice-Rectors Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kuran and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Cengiz visited the Khojaly Martyrs Monument which was recently erected within the Kurupelit Campus.
Protocol members then moved on to the festival area. Rector Bilgiç made the opening speech of the festival which was hosted by Hayriye Bakan, Arda Ersel, and Tarkan Kaleli this year, and said the following; “The herald of the coming of spring, Nowruz Festival is being celebrated through the ages. This festival is especially celebrated very actively in our geography for many years. However, it is also being celebrated as the World Nowruz Festival since it was added to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. The word Nowruz evokes goodness, beauty, fellowship, and peace. As OMU family, we are very happy to celebrate the Nowruz together with our guests in a day which reminds us of these beautiful values of humanity. May God grant us all our remaining days to be lived in fellowship and peace.”
Reminding the audience that this is a very important year, being it the 100th year of 19 May 1919, Rector Bilgiç said the following; “We planned 100 different events to understand and feel May 19 in addition to just celebrating it. God willing, we will also be together in these events. The 100th year is uniquely important and meaningful to us as we bear our name from the date on which Mustafa Kemal Atatürk took the first step that leads to the independence of the Turkish Republic in Samsun. Furthermore, we are taking all the necessary steps to make our university one of the most successful universities in Turkey in every branch. I believe that we will spend this year in a very special and meaningful way together with you.”
Pointing out to the fact that new cruelties and atrocities are witnessed in the world each day, Prof. Bilgiç said the following; “This shows how much we need peace in the world. We particularly need a generation that knows and understands what is going on in the world. This generation must fulfill its duty and work very hard to make Turkey a stronger country. We need a stronger Turkey to achieve world peace. The heritage Turkey has requires of this. Turkey is the hope of the oppressed countries and peoples tyrannized by the imperialist countries and therefore she needs to be stronger and productive. We expect you to work hard towards this end.”
Governor Kaymak, expressing that Nowruz is a traditional holiday celebrated in the Turkish world, said; “Nowruz heralds the coming of spring, and is a holiday which is the symbol of unity, solidarity, and benediction. It is very good to be together in this day. May the spring bring unity, peace, and benediction to you, our country, and the entire Turkish world. Even though there are various rumors on Nowruz, in actual fact this is a Turkish holiday.”
Following the speeches, OMU-TÜRKÇE and Faculty of Education students read poems. Mini concerts given by the Turkish Folk Music Ensemble and Modern Music Ensemble which both consists of OMU Department of Music Education students were watched with great interest. OMU Folk Dances Society started playing the horon to the fast-paced rhythms of the Black Sea and with the participation of the audience the dancing circle grew bigger and bigger where the participants reveled in dances.
“Nowruz bonfire”, one of the important rituals of the Nowruz celebrations, was started by Rector Bilgiç and the students. Governor Kaymak, MP Usta, Rector Bilgiç, academic and administrative staff, and students jumped over the fire that was seen as a symbol of purification and cleansing in the ancient Turkish culture. It was also believed that it protected people from evil and malice and disease.
Forging, which is one of the important symbols of the Nowruz Festival, together with egg tapping, tug of war, and sack races added spice and zest to the celebrations. Protocol members also participated in the tug of war and the competition turned into a breathtaking duel which resulted in joyous moments.
Prof. Bilgiç and the students visited the booths opened by international students of OMU in where they exhibited materials that introduce their countries and cultures. “Dibek coffee” manufactured by OMU Faculty of Agriculture students, which is a blend of 8 ingredients, was offered to the visitors.
Furthermore, Governor Kaymak, Rector Bilgiç, and protocol members also visited the “Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu Photograph Exhibition” which was opened in front of the Student Centre.
LISTEN