Turkey

Each marker brings forth a wealth of information and makes landmark contributions towards the understanding of the scale and implications of the project as a global event. Artists of the caliber of Ms. Nurcan Turkoglu cement a layer of credibility that reinforces the integrity of the project while revealing the greatness of their conviction embedded in their art.

Peace Marker Republic of Turkey is a new chapter in the history of world peace occurring in the midst of one the oldest battlegrounds at the crossroads of many of the world's greatest civilizations. Turkey is now where Anatolia (rising sun) used to be and corresponds to the Asia portion of Turkey.

Since prehistoric times to recorded history, these remarkably beautiful part of the world "Anatolia" has been settled in or conquered by many civilizations which include the Colchians, Hattians, Luwians, Hittites, Phrygians, Cimmerians, Lydians, Celts, Tabals, Meshechs, Greeks, Pelasgians, Romans, Goths, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks, and Ottomans whose empire was to last 631 years.

Shortly after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire as a consequence of world war I, as the states of the Ottoman Empire where divided and new states where declared, one of them became the Republic of Turkey.

The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed on October 29, 1923 and joined the rest of the nations of the world under the presidency of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The new nation began to grow in close observance of the twin principles “sovereignty, unconditionally belongs to the nation” and “peace at home, peace in the world” as established by Ataturk.

Mustafa Kemal was a charismatic leader to whom the Grand National Assembly gave the deferential name Ataturk; meaning “ancestor Turk” which is a name that to this day remains off-limits to other men by law. His vision for the nation remained clear as one can appreciate in the following excerpt from a speech delivered by him on the tenth anniversary of the foundation of the Republic.

“I must make it clear with due emphasis, that a historical quality of the Turkish nation, which is an exalted human community, is its love for fine arts and progress in them. This is why our national ideal is to constantly foster and promote, with all means and measures, our nation's excellent character, its tireless industriousness, intelligence, devotion to science, love for fine arts and sense of national unity.

This ideal, which very well suits the Turkish nation, will enable it to succeed in performing the

civilized task falling on it in securing true peace for all mankind.”

As an artist and history teacher, Ms. Turkoglu is keenly aware of the implications between her involvement with WPMP and her nation’s historical past. Her contribution to the history of world peace even if seen from the narrow perspective of just the project’s aesthetic significance as art, is nevertheless monumental, since the project presents the first clear evidence of art and life operating seamlessly as one at a global scale.

Guided by her vision, she embraced the task to establish Peace Marker Turkey as one of the world’s newest points of peace, which is no small feat as the process requires planning perseverance and diplomacy.

With the counsel of close friends, Ms. Turkoglu decides that the appropriate location for Peace Marker Turkey is “Freedom Park” a beautiful place located on the Asian side of Istanbul where most of the main cultural activities including live concerts, exhibitions, fairs etc. take place.

On November 28, 2005 Ms. Turkoglu submitted her credentials and particulars of the WPMP to theEducational and cultural affairs of the municipality of Kadikoy where its manager, Mrs. Nesibe Musevitoglu
accepted the submission and with excitement sent the particulars to the attention of the Mayor of Kadikoy Mr. Selami Ozturk.

On December 11, 2005 while Ms. Turkoglu and her husband Mr. Erol Türkoðlu attended an opening at the Caddebostan Cultural Center where she had the opportunity to share the project with Mr. Deniz Baykal who is the leader of the opposition party in Turkey. Mr. Baykal expressed an interest in the project which was conveyed to the Mayor of Kadikoy Mr. Ozturk, who was to receive Ms. Turkoglu in his office the following day.

Mayor Ozturk enthusiastically accepted the project and assigned Mr. Mustafa Demircan as his liaison for the project and through his intervention an acceptance certificate was issued on December 12, 2005.

Ozgurluk Park or Freedom Park, is undergoing renovations which are expected to be completed early on 2006. Peace Marker Turkey will be placed in the park at an event organized by WPMP Ambassador Nurcan Turkoglu and Kadikoy officials.

Each new Marker brings with it a new layer of significance to the project as well as a clear view into the uniqueness of the nation and the culture that offers the marker a home. At the same time we are all beginning to notice that regardless of our apparent differences there is an underlying thread that connects us all in our desire to find a way to world peace.

WPMP Ambassador Nurcan Turkoglu was able to make great strides in an incredible short period of time, by January 4, 2006 after a meeting with the Director of Cultural affairs for the Kadikoy Municipality Ms. Nesibe Musevitoglu the date of the inaugural was set for March 8, 2006 coinciding with and part of the International Women's Day celebrations. Furthermore the occasion presented a great opportunity for Ozgurluk Park to add to the program the results of the renovation to some of its picturesque areas.

January 18,2006 Ambassador Turkoglu meets with the director of Ozgurluk Park Ms. Serap Bayraktar for a preliminary assessment for a location for Peace Marker Turkey in the park. At the same time Ms. Turkoglu is organizing an exhibit titled "Universal Cosmology" slated for the newly opened Caddebostan Cultural Center.

It is perhaps unnecessary to remind the reader that WPMP is after all, a work of art. its structure is uncommon because it is a four dimensional work of art and thus, the work melds with everyday life so as to become imperceptible and thus it is seen as a developing story in real life rather than as a work of art developing along with real life.

The fact that WPMP is performed and created by artists maintains the integrity of the work of art while at the same time allows for the individual artist in theWPMP global collaborative the freedom to showcase his/her own expressive and creative abilities.

WPMP ambassador Nurcan Turkoglu is a powerful artist who conveys the depth of her convictions and her understanding of the conflict between an idea and its myriad of interpretations. Her embedded message of friendship and peace is not incidental to her work, rather, it outlines a refreshing conscious landscape of new possibilities that signals the imminent presence of the ideological material that will define art in the 21st century.

In the next page, I'm quite pleased to present to you a few of the works that Ms. Turkoglu has set aside for the "universal Cosmology" exhibit at Caddebostan Cultural Center in Istanbul.