Western Thrace’s historical struggle takes centre stage at Turkish History Congress
The historical struggle of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace was represented at the 20th Turkish History Congress in Ankara, where Dr Pervin Hayrullah presented research on Mehmet Hilmi, a prominent figure in the minority’s institutional development. Another researcher from Western Thrace, Fatih Duban, also presented a paper on a Late Roman hoard discovered at Zeugma.
Organised by the Turkish Historical Society, the five-day congress took place from 26 to 30 October at the Bilkent campus of the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History in Ankara. The event brought together historians and academics from Türkiye and around the world to discuss research covering different periods of Turkish and global history.
DR PERVIN HAYRULLAH EXAMINES MEHMET HILMI’S LEGACY
Dr Pervin Hayrullah, Director General of the Western Thrace Minority Culture and Education Company (BAKEŞ) and a Corresponding Member of the Turkish Historical Society, presented a paper entitled “Mehmet Hilmi’s Struggle in the Institutionalisation of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace”.
Her research examined Mehmet Hilmi’s activities and contribution to the development of the minority’s institutional structures.
The presentation brought the historical role of Mehmet Hilmi, one of the figures who left a lasting mark on the development of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, to an international academic platform.
WESTERN THRACE RESEARCHER PRESENTS STUDY ON ZEUGMA
Fatih Duban, a research assistant at Ankara University and son of Ramadan Duban, also represented Western Thrace at the congress.
His paper, entitled “A Late Roman Hoard Discovered in the Zeugma Necropolis and Its Possible Connection with Julian’s Eastern Campaign”, examined the archaeological find within its broader historical context.
268 SCHOLARS FROM 32 COUNTRIES ATTEND
The 20th Turkish History Congress continued a series of academic gatherings first launched by the Turkish Historical Society in 1932.
The opening ceremony on 26 October was accompanied by exhibitions on Alacahöyük, the Turkish War of Independence, and the Turkish Historical Society and its history congresses.
The programme covered a wide range of subjects, including Ottoman history, the history of Turkic and Islamic states, Central Asian Turkic history, Atatürk and the history of the Republic of Türkiye, and world history. A special session was also held on 29 October to mark Republic Day in Türkiye.
According to figures announced at the closing session on 30 October, the congress brought together 268 scholars from 32 countries. A total of 253 academic papers were presented across 65 sessions during the five-day event.
Research on Mehmet Hilmi and the historical development of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace was among the contributions highlighting the region's place in historical scholarship.
