From the Past to the Future: Istanbul and Her Sister European Capitals of Culture
FROM THE PAST TO THE FUTURE: ISTANBUL AND HER SISTER EUROPEAN CAPITALS OF CULTURE
CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM
PROJECT SUMMARY
The project aims to make individuals aware of the cultural values that surround them throughout their lives and ensure that these values are carried into the future by their children. ‘Awareness and Research’, which will be supported by information technology, aims to include both students and families in terms of ‘Support’ and create a database which will make a valuable contribution to human history, facilitate international interaction and provide the individual with an awareness of the importance of protecting these values. The project will address creative/talented students at state schools and aims to enable them to recognize the histarical and cultural values around them, use computers to research them and carry them into the future. The pilot elements of the project, which cover Istanbul, Hungary, Germany and Greece, will be initiated in Istanbul and will be supported by information technology. The educational dimension of the project will include the following phases:
1. Who was responsible for the histarical artefact, when and for what purpose was it built? What were its socio-cultural/economic/political and educational functions? (To learn research skills.)
2. What is the condition of the histarical work at present and what problems does it face? (Awareness.)
3. How can solutions to current problems be created, what recommendations and designs can be suggested for the future? (Creativity, final phase sharing, sharing and raising awareness through the use of web design and PowerPoint presentations, brochures and posters.)
AIM OF THE PROJECT
The project is a ‘Iearning and sharing’ project with Istanbul as its focal point. It aims to bring together students from the architecture, computer and teaching technology training (CTTT), archaeology and anthropology departments and students from lower years who:
. are able to learn about the past and are able to use this information
. intelligently as they look to the future;
. understand the importance and protect a rich historicallegacy in its national and international dimensions;
. are able to communicate students in classes above and below
them and can further develop this cooperative communication; are able to share and communicate beyand national borders; and . are able to combine creativity and the use of information technology;
The target at the beginning of the project will be second phase primary school students and high school students.
The Awareness and Research groups will become project partners with families and the relevant project leaders and teachers.
The second target group are students in history and archaeology departments and the heads of the relevant branches of the Science Department.
The third target group are the relevant local, national and international museum authorities and the Ministry of National Educatian and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The project’s ultimate aim is to create a network of international cultural and histarical cooperation in important geographicallocations which will playa significant role in the development of mankind after 2010, such as Central Asia, South Africa, the Far East and Australia.
LOCATION/TIME
In its first year, the project will be launched in volunteer schools in Istanbul, Hungary, Germany and Greece. The aims of project will be explained and the required cultural/information infrastructure will be established. The project will continue through the entire academic year, and work that will be made available for sharing and research/transfer in the following year
will be completed and the project continue with new work or the completion of elements which have not yet been completed.
The phases of the project that will be carried out in Istanbul, Hungary (Pees), Germany and Greece (Thessaloniki) are listed below:
1. Historical areas will be pre-listed and schools will be asked to select an area that is near to their school.
2. Teams from a minimum of two schools up to a maximum of ten schools in the region (primary schools and high schools) will come together and establish contact with the nearest university’s Architecture, Archaeology and CTTT departments and form a ‘collectiye labour chain’ (the strength of the collectiye labour chain’s contribution to learning in schools resulted in it being given an award by the World Bank on 3 May 2005).
3. The project will collect cultural and historical information about the culture, art, politics, economy, religion and sociallife of the histarical area being studied while alsa working on the appearance of the area during the century in question. This could involve the making of a scale model or a virtual recreation on a computer. The results will the n be made accessible on a national and international level.
4. Based on the information collected, the teams will then create a computer model of a projection of what the area will be like in the following century. A webpage will be designed which will show the future levels of civilisation in the area with visual comparisons of likely developments. Local and foreign traveliers who visit the website would be able to see both the former and future state of
the area, together with visual materials and information about monuments/artefacts/the region. At the end of the year all of the collectiye labour groups will share what they have done with the public. The younger classes will become aware of the subject and conduct research to gather information, while the old are classes will put their creativity to work in a fully collectiye labour effort.
CALENDAR 2006 June
2006-2007
2007 June 2007 -2008
2008 June 2008-2009
2009 June 2009-2010
The establishment of the required infrastructure in Hungary (Pecs), Germany and Greece (Thessaloniki) fallawing correspondence and meetings in these locations.
The collective labour chairIs in Pecs, Thessaloniki and Germany will begin work. A booklet will be prepared as a record of what has been done.
The first sharing conference in Pecs.
The number of participating schools in all the cities will increase and the work of collective labour chairIs will continue. A booklet will be prepared as a record of everything that has been done.
The second sharing conference in Germany.
The collective labour chairIs will continue their work through the academic year. A booklet will be prepared as a record of what has been done.
The third sharing conference in Thessaloniki.
In summer, at the end of the 2009-2010 academic year, there will be a public announcement in Istanbul of the results of the project. Children from Germany, Pecs and Thessaloniki will visit historicallocations in Istanbul along with their Istanbul partners.. Presents will be given to the children, courtesy of various sponsors. All the work will be collected in a book and a CD and the web site updated.
THE PERSON AND INSTITUTIONS WHICH REALISE THE PROJECT
The project will be realised by a team from the Quality Schools Centre (QOMER) and its Founding Chairman Dr. Hayal Köksa!. QOMER is a non¬profit educational platform and networking system based on the belief that communication and sharing, supported by technology, is a prerequisite for the continuous development of humanity and its happiness. Its core belief is that people should find their rightful places and values in their lives and communities, that their education should be supported; as should theindividuals and institutions that provide such assistance.
Even though it may be considered by some to be a utopian or unattainable ideal, QOMER believes in the creation of a world in which everyone is regarded as an equal member of a single family, enjoying freedam, positive thoughts and empathyand using scientific methods.
PROJECT PARTNERS
QOMER Chairman Hayal Köksal, who will head the project, QOMER
employees, participating institutions, the schools taking part in the project, families, associated project leader teachers, university students, heads of the relevant branches of Science Departments, representatives of national and international museums associated with the areas, the Ministry of
National Education and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and national and international sponsors.
CONTACT
Dr. Hayal KÖKSAL
Kalite Okulları Merkezi / QOMER
Barbaros Bulvarı, Eser Ap., No.48/3 34349 Balmumcu Beşiktaş Istanbul
Tel:+ 90 212272 34 60
+ 90 532 373 84 87
E-mail: hekoksal@superonline.com
hayalkoksal@superonline.com
Web: www.qomer.com www.kaliteokullari.com