ATCP

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey will be sending Konya Turkish Tasawwuf Music Ensemble’s members to Australia to perform at Turkish – Japanese joint events.

The Turkish Republic Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Konya Turkish Tasawwuf Music Ensemble was established in 1990 with the intention of carrying on these old traditions and introducing people to Turkish Tasawwuf music and traditional Samâ Âyîns (Whirling Prayer Ceremonies) in their purest forms and performed at the highest level. The ensemble performs yearly during the Mevlâna Commemoration week (December 1st – 17th) and at the Shab-é `arûs ceremony (Hazrat Mawlānā Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī’s passing from this world into the realms beyond), as well as in various special events located in other cities around the world in many different countries.

Arts and culture rise from 120-year-old maritime disaster

A 120-year-old maritime disaster that bound Turkey and Japan in friendship is to be celebrated in Melbourne in the middle of 2010.

A cultural and arts project is planned to showcase the countries’ culture and history, and aims to build ties between Australian Turkish and Japanese citizens, reduce the social isolation of new migrants to Australia and broaden local understanding of both countries.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey and the Japan Foundation will be sending musicians to Australia to perform at the joint events.

The countries’ friendship began with the visit of the Ottoman Empire’s Ertugrul Frigate to Japan in 1890. The voyage aimed at building inter-country links but ended in tragedy when the ship became disabled in a storm and eventually hit reefs off Oshima Island, Japan. An estimated 533 officers and sailors were killed and Japanese vessels helped to rescue about 69 survivors who were later taken home to Istanbul in two Japanese corvettes. (more…)