Activities of the Austrian-Turkish Forum of Sciences

News / Science

10/Apr/2003 - 9:49

Activity report on the first quarter 2003

1 preparatory work

on the symposium 80 years of history of the Republic of Turkey in the light of Austrian-Turkish relations; initialisation of the necessary contacts in both Austria and Turkey.
OTW could gain the Department of Oriental Studies at Vienna University, the Diplomatic Academy and the Turkish Historical Society (Türk Tarih Kurumu) as co-organizers.

on the publication of the international and interdisciplinary symposium carried out in October 2002 in Vienna The era of Kara Mustafa Pasha in the Austrian- Turkish history. From Mogersdorf to Buda (1664-1686). New aspects in military history and cultural history. A comparison in structure . The book most likely will appear in the series of the Museum of Military History at the end of the year 2003.

initiation of the edition of the manuscript Löwenklau by an international and interdisciplinary scientific team.

2 organisation of lectures

On April 8th, the Austrian-Turkish Forum of Sciences (OTW) organised a lecture at Vienna International Centre in cooperation with the VIC Turkish Art and Culture Club and with the friendly support of H.E. Ambassador H. Aydin Sahinbas, Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna.
Prof. Dr. Norman Stone who is the Director of the Russian Centre at Bilkent University, Ankara, and who is also a member of the Scientific Board of OTW, spoke on The Central European emigration in Turkey 1930-1960. In this speech, Norman Stone emphasized the importance of Turkey for the intellectuals of the world and that within these years the University of Istanbul was the best university of the world due to the emigrants teaching there, like, for instance, Albert Einstein.
After the lecture, Ambassador Sahinbas invited to a glass of wine and a Turkish buffet. This event was visited exceptionally well.

The President of the VIC Turkish Art and Culture Club, Mr. Ziya Yazici and the Chairwoman of OTW, Kerstin Tomenendal decided after the very successful event to deepen their cooperation and to regard this lecture as the first of a number of many lectures which shall be introduced to an international community with an Austro-Turkish topic.

3 active participation as a speaker or discussion partner

lecture of Mag. Kerstin Tomenendal at Club Alpha, February 20, 2003 on The Turkish Vienna.
The lecture lasted about 45 minutes and was supported by slides and overhead. Dr. Isabelle Ackerl from Club Alpha moderated the evenig.
After the discussion, wine and sandwiches were offered.

participation at the panel discussion on Turkey as a Member of the European Union: Vision, Utopia or Madness? organized by Raethia Danubia in the Martinschlössl, 18th district of Vienna, on April 4, 2003.

Ambassador Dr. Martin Sajdik who is responsible for the EU expansion in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DI Birol Kilic, chief-editor of the newspaper Yeni-Vatan and Mag. Kerstin Tomenendal, Chairwoman of the Austrian-Turkish Forum of Sciences were invited to deliver their statements at the panel discussion.
Lukas Mandl moderated the evening.

The panel discussion started at 18.00 and lasted till 21,30 due to the lively participation in the discussion by the audience.