“We Destroy Our Cultural Assets With Our Own Hands”

While evaluating the restoration practices that have been discussed recently, the archaeologist Nezih Başgelen, where we talked about the establishment story of the Cultural and Natural Heritage Monitoring Platform, which exceeded 8 thousand members shortly after its establishment, said that "We are intertwined with demolishing and reconstructing our cultural assets with our own hands by our own public budget."

Başgelen, who stated that the cultural and Natural Heritage Monitoring Platform is a volunteer initiative that works for the protection of both cultural and natural heritage through the communication network on social media, notes that everyone should do their share. Nezih Başgelen who also touched on restoration practices that do not fall off the agenda and attract reaction, said: “We are intertwined with demolishing and reconstructing our cultural assets with our own hands by our own public budget.” These practices lead to the disappearance of a serious inventory of culture in Anatolia, never to be replaced again. The contractors use the workers who are not qualified for the work they take and who are working in a road construction for the jobs that require precision. When the worker who builds walls and pours concrete in TOKİ constructions works here, it causes us to think “What i see outside is just outside, but on the inside there is just a whole different story”. The historical textures such as bull is in the china-shop, tiles, hand-carved, wooden decorations, reliefs and geometric patterns that should not be touched or worked with the precision of a dentist are destroyed although they will not be replaced again.” said.

Başgelen, who stated that the destruction of the cultural heritage is caused by both social belonging and legislative gaps, said: “the connection of love, the connection of interest and knowledge and the connection of belonging to the geography in which we live in Anatolia, has not been established. So we have to build it. We need to establish a relationship with this world with our ancient artifacts, cultural assets, natural heritage, habitat that is the presence of animals, fauna on one side, plants, flowers, insects on the other. Now, the lack of bans and penalties for people or individuals who intentionally harm it, is an inability of or a lack of legislation. We have to work in both dimensions,” he said. Başgelen called for the protection of cultural and natural heritage, saying: “We live in a paradise country and we should not allow demons who want to turn the this paradise into a hell.”

Click here to get detailed information about the Cultural and Natural Heritage Monitoring Platform.