The Star and Crescent Shone

Our National "A" Football Team has shown a very big success by being the 3rd in the World Cup. The broadcasting institution TRT was the champion in its field. Among world televisions, TRT was the only one that performed the live broadcast of all 64 matches. The match between Turkey and Brazil was watched by 3.5 billion people in 136 countries. Turkey that has participated in the World Cup after 48 years has attracted the attention by being the 3rd. Turkey which could not win the first match it played in its group got the visa for the second tour by beating the team of China with a score of 3-0. Our team has beaten the host team Japan in the second tour and the team of Senegal in the quarterfinal and has lost its chance of playing the final after it has lost -with a single goal- the match it played with Brazil. Our National "A" Football Team that has brought the bronze medal to our country by beating the other host team South Korea with a score of 3-2 became the world's most interesting team.

Symbol of Peace in Aegean and Mediterranean Seas :
The Mediterranean Seals

At the beginning of 20th century, population of the Mediterranean seals -from Mediterranean to East Atlantic coasts and from Portugal to Senegal- would be expressed in thousands. But unfortunately, today they can only live in the open seas of Greece, Turkey, Morocco, Mauritania and Maderi Islands. The Mediterranean Seals (Monachus Monachus) which are only around 400-500 in the world and less than 100 in our country are really struggling to exist.
In 1999, deaths of 5 Mediterranean Seals were reported. In these reports, the coasts of deaths were determined as Cesme, Bodrum, Marmaris, Kalkan and Kas. The death in Kalkan was from the direct killing of a fisherman. By means of a decision that was taken after this event, the depths of the nets that are being casted by the fishermen for the purpose of hunting have started to be arranged by taking the living areas of the seals during the hunting seasons into consideration.

Magical Architecture of Cappadocia - Avanos

Avanos has been a house for people throughout the history. The civilisations that have made Anatolia their homeland have left their marks on Avanos. In old ages, people in Avanos used to live in the rocks.
They made their houses by carving the rocks that are formed of lavas of Erciyes. Even today there are masters that know by heart the rock-bottom map of Avanos. Generally in Cappadocia and especially in Avanos houses are on the slopes and they are either made up of dressed stone or constructed by carving the rocks. Because of the volcanic structure of the region, the stone, which is the only architectural material of the region, can be nigged very easily since it is soft when it is taken out from the quarry however, it becomes a very strong construction material when it meets with the air. Stonework which is special to the region because of the plentifulness of its material and its easy nigging has developed and become an architectural tradition.

A tradition going on since the Hittites: Avanos Skilled Trade

In Avanos it is already known that crockery is being manufactured by pedal wheel since the Hittites. This skilled trade is an extant that has passed from one ethnos to another and from father to sun. Soft clay from the mountains of Avanos and old beds of Kızılırmak is converted into mud after they are sifted and molded. The requested crockery can be made by skilfully shaping the said mud on a pedal wheel.
Avanos witnesses the history with its silent ceramic masters. The enchanting mud of Kızılırmak comes to life in the hands of ceramic masters. In other words Kızılırmak vitalises Cappadocia through the hands of ceramic masters. Whenever you go to Avanos you will be carried away with the mystical atmosphere of the ceramic masters. Do not underrate the ceramic work; ceramic ornaments and mud works carry the signs of cultures that have established civilisations in the region of Cappadocia. This means that history is being reproduced with the ceramics quietly and unobstrusively.