Celebrating Mahmut İslamoğlu: A Book by Eralp Adanır Introduced on BRTK
Kyrenia Municipality’s 23rd International Olive Garden Olive Festival is in full swing, with a special event honoring the memory of Poet-Writer Ali Nesim. The “Olive Grove Meeting of Poets and Writers” took place at Zeytinlik Village House, where journalist, writer, TV program, and documentary producer Eralp Adanır introduced his article on folklorist educator, poet, and researcher writer Mahmut İslamoğlu.
During the event, NEU Lecturer Professor Doctor Şevket Öznur, President of the Turkish Cypriot Writers Union, announced that a book titled “55-year March in Turkish Cypriot Folklore; Mahmut İslamoğlu” was introduced as part of the festival. Additionally, İslamoğlu’s renowned work “Cyprus Turkish Folklore,” originally published in 1969, will be republished in Turkey by TÜKSOY.
Writer Eralp Adanır highlighted İslamoğlu’s significance as a touchstone for Turkish Cypriots and shared that they have been collaborating on programs and documentaries about Turkish and other entities in Southern Cyprus since 2005. The book also includes documentaries, programs, and excerpts from İslamoğlu’s research and writings.
Mahmut İslamoğlu stressed the importance of preserving the cultural heritage, folklore, values, traditions, customs, and social life of Turkish Cypriots in the South. He emphasized the similarities between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots in various aspects and expressed his team’s efforts to document these shared values through projects like “Before the Traces” and other publications.
The event concluded with a book signing session, bringing together writers, poets, and enthusiasts to celebrate and honor the rich cultural tapestry of Turkish Cypriots.
