As part of Turkish Cuisine Week, held from May 21-27, the "Anatolian Cappadocia Market" opened at our Ürgüp Factory Campus with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife, Emine Erdoğan.

Organized to preserve Cappadocia's unique cultural heritage and regional heritage, the Anatolian Cappadocia Market brought together a wealth of the region's traditional handicrafts and local flavors, natural products and cultural events.

The opening was attended by Emine Erdoğan, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Nevşehir Governor Ali Fidan, MHP Deputy Group Chair and Nevşehir Deputy Filiz Kılıç, AK Party Nevşehir Deputies Emre Çalışkan and Süleyman Özgün, and our Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Ali Karasar, our Chairman of the Board of Trustees Funda F. Aktan, ambassadors, representatives of public institutions, and representatives of civil society organizations were in attendance.

Emirî Erdoğan: “Cappadocia University brings visibility to local products and highlights forgotten gastronomic elements.”

In her speech at the “Anatolian Cappadocia Market” held in Nevşehir as part of Turkish Cuisine Week, Emine Erdoğan emphasized the importance of the program hosted by our University. She also commemorated our founder, Alev Alatlı, and emphasized the importance of preserving her intellectual legacy. Erdoğan said, “Our late teacher, Alev Alatlı, laid the foundations of Cappadocia University 20 years ago, based on local and national development goals. Today, tens of thousands of graduates trained with this vision serve the country.” Erdoğan expressed her appreciation for the university's gastronomy efforts, saying, "Cappadocia University is bringing visibility to local products and highlighting forgotten gastronomic elements."

In her speech, Emine Erdoğan also touched upon the Anadoludakiler (Those in Anatolia) project, which aims to preserve Anatolian cultural heritage, stating that this initiative supports traditional production techniques, local products, and women's entrepreneurship. Erdoğan concluded by saying, "With the Anadoludakiler (Those in Anatolia) project we launched last year, we have preserved our traditions. We have supported cooperatives, local producers, and women entrepreneurs. We have brought together Cappadocia's deep-rooted cuisine, rich product diversity, and unique production in this market."

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır: "We are creating a comprehensive model encompassing local development with Cappadocia University."

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır stated that the Anadoludakiler Cappadocia Market, held in Cappadocia, is an important step for regional development and cultural heritage. Kacır stated that they aim to transform the market into a sustainable model that maintains its vibrancy throughout the year and connects producers with consumers. He said, “We believe this cultural festival, which will strengthen Cappadocia's role as a center of attraction, will grow prosperously.”

Minister Kacır also emphasized the ongoing collaboration with our University in his speech, announcing the ongoing collaboration on the rural development program implemented as part of the Anatolians project. Kacır stated, “This program, for which we are working together with Cappadocia University, will be a detailed model that addresses local development in its economic, cultural, and social dimensions. We will define the Anatolians criteria with a holistic approach, from producers to products, from venues to presentation styles.”

Minister Kacır also stated that they are working to establish a sustainable supply chain between major buyers and local producers, emphasizing that this journey is a long-term development project that follows the footsteps of ancient Anatolian traditions.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said, “The Anatolian Cappadocia Market will be a beacon of hope for local producers and a gateway to the future with its cultural and economic values.”

Ersoy stated that the recently opened Anatolian Cappadocia Market brings together the region's deep-rooted culinary culture with a rich variety of products and unique production. He stated that the project aims to preserve not only the production itself but also the memory behind it and the ancient harmony that labor establishes with nature. Ersoy emphasized that each product carries the voice of the soil, the traces of its master, and the spirit of the region. He noted that the mobile market, which will tour Turkey, will introduce citizens to different stories and tastes at each stop. Ersoy said, “The Anatolian Cappadocia Market will be a beacon of hope for local producers and a gateway to the future with its cultural and economic values.”

Funda F. Aktan, Chair of the Board of Trustees: “Making the value chain extending from the field to the kitchen visible and supporting local production is the foundation of sustainable development.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, which aims to make the richness of Turkish cuisine and the deep-rooted cultural heritage of Anatolia visible, our Chair of the Board of Trustees, Funda F. Aktan, said that Cappadocia University is hosting such a meaningful event.

She expressed her satisfaction.

Funda F. Aktan stated in her speech that the "Anatolians Cappadocia Market" project aims to showcase the fertility and cultural richness of our lands and preserve our traditional values. Turkish cuisine has been shaped by the strength it draws from these lands. Anatolia's agricultural and craft traditions, culinary heritage, and local products are being revitalized with this project. Aktan emphasized that the collaboration of Turkish Cuisine Week and the Anatolians project is a concrete demonstration of how these two initiatives are integrated. "Making the value chain extending from the field to the kitchen visible and supporting local production is the foundation of sustainable development," she said.

Aktan also dedicated a special place to our founder, Alev Alatlı, in her speech, saying, "As Cappadocia University, in line with the vision bequeathed to us by Alev Alatlı, we aim to make Cappadocia's material and spiritual assets the fundamental driving force of development. I commemorate her cherished memory with mercy and gratitude." He expressed his feelings with these words. The opening event attracted great attention from visitors, with stands by local producers and local delicacies on display.