The Faculty of Social and Humanities Sciences at Necmettin Erbakan University, in collaboration with the International Rumi Civilizations Application and Research Center and the Konya Regional Manuscript Library, hosted a manuscript exhibition and conference program to mark Library Week. The event, attended by Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Ömer Soner Hunkan, took place with broad participation from academic and cultural circles.
The event was organized under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Akkuş, Director of the International Rumi Applied Research Center and Head of the History Department, and Mehmet Yastı, Head of the Turkish Language and Literature Department and Deputy Dean of the Faculty, in partnership with the Konya Regional Manuscript Library.
The event began with an exhibition of manuscripts related to the field of Turkish language and literature in the faculty lobby. Dean Prof. Dr. Ömer Soner Hunkan officiated the opening of the exhibition. During the opening, the cultural heritage value of the manuscripts was highlighted, and the importance of ensuring the continuity of such initiatives under the faculty’s umbrella was emphasized.
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yastı delivered the opening remarks for the conference segment. In his speech, Yastı noted that manuscript works serve as indispensable sources for academic research and stressed the need for similar events to be organized more frequently at the faculty.
The main presentation of the program was delivered by Hasan Yaşar, Director of the Konya Regional Manuscript Library, in a lecture titled “Books, Libraries, and Manuscript Libraries.” In his presentation, Yaşar highlighted the historical and scientific value of manuscripts, their preservation processes, and the opportunities they offer to researchers, thereby emphasizing the role of libraries in transmitting cultural heritage from one generation to the next.
At the conclusion of the program, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yastı and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Akkuş presented a plaque to Hasan Yaşar in recognition of his valuable presentation.
The combined organization of the exhibition and conference offered participants a comprehensive experience both visually and intellectually, and once again demonstrated that manuscript works are not merely objects on display but living sources for the scientific community.
Officials from the International Rumi Application and Research Center noted that such programs strengthen collaboration between the university and cultural institutions, emphasizing the importance of making manuscript works accessible to a broader audience through academic activities.
The exhibition and conference program, which was met with great interest, served as a productive event for both students and academics, making a meaningful contribution to Konya’s deep-rooted heritage of scholarship and culture.