14.07.2026 16:40
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said in his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Congress, Culture and Fair Center that the center will make significant contributions to Gaziantep's trade, culture, and art life.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Congress, Culture and Fair Center.
Speaking at the ceremony, which included Gaziantep Governor Kemal Çeber, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin, Şehitkamil Mayor Umut Yılmaz, Şahinbey Mayor Mehmet Tahmazoğlu, AK Party Gaziantep Provincial Chairman Fatih Muhaddis Fedaioğlu, and MHP Gaziantep Provincial Chairman Mehmet Sait Kılıç, Ersoy expressed his wish for the center to be completed quickly and made available to the people of Gaziantep.
Stating that as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, they adopt a human-centered approach in every project, from cultural and art centers to libraries, museums, and other cultural structures, Ersoy said:
"As a ministry, whether it is cultural and art centers, libraries, or museums, we aim for every work we build to add value to the lives of our people, enable them to use their time both enjoyably and efficiently, include knowledge, culture, and art regardless of the specific area for which it is built, and meet expectations such as learning, having fun, and experiencing. For this reason, we always implement the social living space concept and create institutional structures that will become a frequent destination for all ages and segments."
Ersoy stated that the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality also demonstrates an understanding aimed at providing services to citizens at the highest standards, which he found gratifying.
Will Significantly Contribute to Gaziantep's Trade, Culture, and Art Life
In his speech, Ersoy also touched on the technical features of the structure, stating that with its 1,788-seat auditorium and 4,000 square meters of indoor exhibition area, the center would make important contributions to the city's trade, culture, and art life.
Emphasizing that the center, consisting of congress halls, exhibition and workshop areas, a pocket cinema, auditoriums for hearing and visually impaired audiences, and social facilities, is an exceptional project, Ersoy said it would host very special art events with sound, lighting, and decor systems suitable for all types of performances and a movable front stage platform.
Ersoy continued:
"When this structure is completed, it will be a very significant gain for our city, from economic life to sociocultural life, and it will undoubtedly open doors to different benefits with the opportunities it offers."
Minister Ersoy thanked Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin and everyone who contributed to the construction of the center, wishing the project to be beneficial for Gaziantep from now on.
Ersoy Highlights Gaziantep's Cultural Richness
Stating that Gaziantep is a blend of Mediterranean and Mesopotamian cultures and has hosted many great civilizations from Babylon to the Hittites, Egypt to Persia and Rome, Commagene to the Seljuks and Ottomans, Ersoy expressed that this historical accumulation is one of the city's most important values.
Saying that due to its location on the Silk Road, Gaziantep carries thousands of years of cultural heritage to the present day, Ersoy noted that the city has a multifaceted cultural treasure, from faith to architecture, traditional arts to cuisine.
Ersoy stated that Zeugma, Yesemek, Karkamış, Dülük, Tilmen Höyük, and Gaziantep Castle shed light on different periods of human history, and added that the city continues to keep its past alive vividly, from traditional houses to historical streets, from the coppersmith tradition to the mastery of yemeni (traditional shoes).
UNESCO Emphasis on Gaziantep Gastronomy
In his speech, Minister Ersoy also devoted a special place to Gaziantep cuisine, stating that with approximately 500 unique dishes, 35 of which are registered, gastronomy is one of the city's most important identity elements.
Reminding that Gaziantep received the "Local Gastronomy and Tourism" award within the scope of the European Destinations of Excellence project in 2015 and was included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of gastronomy the same year, Ersoy stated that Gaziantep, which has a say in world culinary literature, is one of Turkey's strongest gastronomy cities internationally.
Gaziantep Will Continue to Be One of the Key Destinations of Turkish Culture and Tourism
Stating that efforts to preserve the historical and cultural values of Gaziantep and pass them on completely to future generations continue unabated, Minister Ersoy made assessments regarding the city's future.
Minister Ersoy noted in his statements:
"As a ministry, we work tirelessly to protect, keep alive, and fully transmit every unique element of these lands to our generations. I can comfortably say that Gaziantep will continue to be one of the key destinations of Turkish culture and tourism in the future, just as it has been until today. All these different riches and potential it possesses will be carefully evaluated and will continue to provide benefit and gain to our country and our people."
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Ersoy concluded his speech by stating that together with all public institutions and private sector stakeholders, especially the Governorship and Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, they will continue their determination to carry Gaziantep further in line with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's Century of Türkiye vision.
Within the scope of his Gaziantep program, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy also inaugurated the Digital Art Museum. Ersoy also visited Glütensiz Bir Başka Kafe (Another Gluten-Free Cafe), which is the first "Sheltered Workplace" implemented by local governments in Turkey, contributing to the acquisition of professions and employment of disadvantaged individuals, and chatted with its employees.