7th Anniversary of Bursa’s Designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site Celebrated

The panel “Understanding, Planning, and Managing Cultural Heritage from the Past to the Future” was organized by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, as part of the ICOMOS International Day for Monuments and Sites 2021 event celebrating the 7th anniversary of Bursa’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Following the evaluation of the nomination file “Bursa and Cumalıkızık: The Birth of the Ottoman Empire,” prepared under the coordination of the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality and encompassing historical sites such as the Khans Region (Orhan Gazi Complex and Surrounding Areas), Sultan Complexes (Hüdavendigar, Yıldırım, Yeşil, Muradiye), and Cumalıkızık Village, Bursa was accepted as the 12th heritage site of Turkey and the 998th heritage site globally with Outstanding Universal Value on the UNESCO World Heritage List on June 22, 2014, during the 38th World Heritage Committee in Doha, Qatar. Therefore, the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality annually celebrates the designation of Bursa as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with various events. Like last year, the panel was streamed live online due to the pandemic on the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality’s Facebook page and YouTube.

In his opening speech, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Ulaş Akhan stated that since Bursa was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014 for “Cultural Heritage,” the most important goals were for everyone in Bursa, and perhaps citizens worldwide, to take ownership of the site’s values and raise awareness on this matter. He highlighted that residents and workers in these areas also have responsibilities. The Site Management focuses on ensuring the management areas are preserved according to the prepared Management Plan, emphasizing the city’s desire to balance protection and usage. Akhan also mentioned that the first-place project resulting from the Khans Region and Çarşıbaşı Urban Design Project Competition is still in the implementation phase. Additionally, 2021 was declared the “Year of the Hans Region and Silk” by the city council to promote the city’s values and develop tourism. A project was initiated to create an urban design guide for Cumalıkızık to preserve its historical, cultural, and natural uniqueness and give the village’s spaces an identity while maintaining its existing identity.

Secretary General Akhan concluded by expressing gratitude to former Mayor Recep Altepe and Prof. Dr. Neslihan Dostoğlu, who leads the Site Directorate and worked tirelessly to bring this project to life. Akhan expressed his hope to continue the process as a team under the leadership of Mayor Alinur Aktaş and fulfill their responsibilities to such an important city and heritage.

Prof. Dr. Neslihan Dostoğlu, the Bursa Site Manager, moderated the panel. Presentations included: “Complex Pasts: Futures Considering Diversities” by Chief Architect Burçin Altınsay Özgüner (President of ICOMOS Turkey National Committee), “Changing Boundaries and the Preservation of Remaining Cultural Heritage” by Prof. Dr. Zeynep Ahunbay (Board Member of ICOMOS Turkey National Committee), “Creating the Past While Planning the Future: New Generation Wars and the Protection of Cultural Heritage” by Prof. Dr. Zeynep Gül Ünal (YTÜ Faculty of Architecture Member, Vice President of ICOMOS International), and “Multi-Layered Sites | Multi-Layered Meanings: Preservation in Heritage Sites with Historical Continuity” by Assoc. Dr. A. Güliz Bilgin Altınöz (METU Faculty of Architecture Member, Board Member of ICOMOS Turkey National Committee).