Message of Erkan Mumcu for “Three Great Civilizations in Turkey”
 Exhibitions are one of the most important instruments to help societies discover the histories and cultures of other societies. As part of the activities of 2003 Turkish Year in Japan, the Japanese government showcased the rich cultural heritage of Anatolia in the exhibition “Three Great Civilizations in Turkey -The Hittite Empire, Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Empire." The aim of this exhibition was to act an opportunity for the Japanese people to journey into the distant past and become acquainted with the cultures that once inhabited ancient Anatolia, and how they influenced the cultures that now dominate the geographical region.
It was a great pleasure for us to bring a part of the splendid cultural heritage of Anatolia to Japan, thousand of kilometers away, and to preset a vision of the history of civilization to the Japanese people.
The exhibition featured the synthesis of styles and sensibilities of the Near East, ranging from the Hittites, with their advanced level of civilization, the Byzantines, which had gained its character by molding the unique elements of Christian world with art traditions of Romans, and the Ottomans, during which Turkish-Islamic works reached a cultural and artist peak. I firmly believe that, this cultural bridge will help to establish close understandings and to develop exiting cultural relations between the Turkish and Japanese societies, and encourage the Japanese people to further explore Anatolia, an open-air museum just waiting to be discovered.
I would like to thank all those for their kind contributions and tremendous efforts for the realization of this exhibition.
The Government of the Republic of Turkey
Minister of Culture and Tourism
Erkan MUMCU |
