Birgi ÇEKÜL House: A Step Carrying Culture and History to the Future

Birgi ÇEKÜL House has been undertaking an important transformation process in its 21-year history to keep Turkey’s cultural heritage alive and carry it to the future. Purchased by ÇEKÜL Foundation in 1997 and restored and opened in 2003, this cultural center contributes to the cultural heritage of not only Birgi but also Turkey and even the world. Explaining the foundation’s mission and vision, B. Ilgın Sözen said, “We aim to create a sustainable living space for future generations by preserving Birgi’s natural and cultural values. We also aim to cooperate with cultural organizations from all over the world to make Birgi an international cultural center.”

ÇEKÜLGPT: Protecting Cultural Heritage with Artificial Intelligence

At the 21st anniversary celebrations of Birgi ÇEKÜL House, the “ÇEKÜLGPT” project, which was launched to transfer cultural heritage to the digital world, was also announced. ÇEKÜL Foundation plans to take its efforts to protect environmental and cultural values ​​to a new dimension by using artificial intelligence technologies. Secretary General of the Foundation B. Ilgın Sözen said, “ÇEKÜL aims to reach new generations by keeping up with technology and raise them with environmental and cultural awareness. ÇEKÜLGPT will be our first civil society project in this field and we will pioneer the digitalization of cultural heritage in Turkey.”

Birgi's Heritage Through Women's Eyes

The “Birgi’s Heritage in the Frame of Women” photography exhibition and the “Birgi ÇEKÜL House Handicraft Course Exhibition” organized as part of the 21st year events revealed that regional motifs were revived by women. These exhibitions will be exhibited permanently at Birgi ÇEKÜL House and will offer visitors the opportunity to build a bridge between the past and the present.

Birgi's Cultural Heritage and Steps Towards the Future

Birgi ÇEKÜL House serves not only as a cultural center but also as an education and research center. The workshops and courses organized here support local production and carry local handicrafts into the future. Local people reshape traditional motifs and handicrafts, thus ensuring the survival of cultural heritage.

In addition, Birgi's inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List and the United Nations World Tourism Organization's 2022 Best Tourism Villages List are concrete indicators of the contributions of the ÇEKÜL Foundation and its volunteers. With the 1990 Regions 7 Cities Project, which it started in the early 7s, the ÇEKÜL Foundation has taken important steps to protect Turkey's historical and cultural heritage, and pioneered the preservation of cities with identity in Anatolia with this project.

Birgi ÇEKÜL House: A Center Shedding Light on the Future

Birgi ÇEKÜL House has the distinction of being the first building in our country to be registered as a cultural house in the land registry. With its history extending from the Ottoman period to the Republican period, this structure constitutes an important example for the protection of cultural heritage. Today, Birgi ÇEKÜL House has become a center for the protection of the Küçük Menderes Basin and the increase of environmental awareness. The continuously enriching library and educational activities bring the cultural heritage living here together with both the local people and the world.

Reaching New Generations by Drawing Strength from Their Roots

ÇEKÜL Foundation has been continuing its efforts to protect Turkey’s cultural and environmental heritage for over 35 years. In this process, Birgi ÇEKÜL House plays a major role as both an education and culture center and a platform that increases environmental awareness. Looking forward, while teaching the importance of cultural heritage to new generations, these values ​​will also be protected with modern technologies. The ÇEKÜLGPT project will be one of the most important steps in this transformation.

ÇEKÜL Foundation

ÇEKÜL (Foundation for the Protection and Promotion of Environmental and Cultural Values), founded in 1990 under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Metin Sözen, began its activities with the mission of protecting Turkey's natural and cultural heritage. The foundation's main goal is to defend the harmony between nature, culture and humans and to transfer these values ​​to the future. With the projects it has implemented with the slogan "We Exist with Nature and Culture", it has adopted a wide-ranging understanding of protection from the local level to the national level.

ÇEKÜL has taken many important steps to ensure the protection of cultural heritage. These efforts include the restoration of historical neighborhoods, traditional bazaars and civil architecture examples, the revitalization of city squares, and the establishment of city museums and archives. At the same time, urban plans for protection were prepared and the integration of the historical texture with the contemporary city was ensured.

One of the most important visions of the Foundation is to ensure the protection and reproduction of nature in a world where natural and cultural values ​​are disappearing and human living spaces are shrinking. In this direction, İstanbulThe afforestation campaign that started in , spread to all corners of Anatolia over time.

ÇEKÜL continues to cooperate with local governments, universities, non-governmental organizations and the public in various cities of Anatolia to encourage the appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage of these cities and to protect this heritage. With its volunteers and expert staff, it has always been a trusted guide in protecting the natural and cultural heritage at every step.