"Ahism From Past to Present" panel was held at Abdullah Gül University (AGU).
As part of the celebrations for the Ahism Week Celebrations, the panel was organized jointly with the Union of Chamber of Merchants and Craftsmen. Speakers at the panel were Asst. Prof. Füsun Akdağ Aycibin from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Abdullah Gül University, Prof. Abdulkadir Yuvalı from the History Department at the Erciyes University Faculty of Literature, Asst. Prof. Fatih Ertugay from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Prof. Muhammet Şevki Aydın from the Philosophy and Religious Sciences Department at the Erciyes University Faculty of Theology.
Rector Prof. İhsan Sabuncuoğlu delivered the opening speech at the panel. In his speech, Rector Sabuncuoğlu said that the ahi community has a history going back to hundreds of years and has its own socioeconomic order and that it has contributed to the formation of our citizenship identity, some common values and our culture since the time of the Seljuks and the Ottomans and does so now in the Turkish Republic.
After the speech, the panel started and Asst. Prof. Füsun Akdağ Aycibin, faculty member at the Humanities and Social Sciences of Abdullah Gül University, informed about the Ahi order.
Asst. Prof. Aycibin spoke about the value of the Ahism stating that it is basically an organization to ensure the unity and solidarity among craftsmen and merchants and that they act together.
Prof. Abdulkadir Yuvalı from the History Department at the Erciyes University Faculty of Literature said that the Ahism is integrated with belief and faith.
On the historical axis, the Ahism goes as back as the time of the prophets, stressed Prof. Yuvalı and he added that it puts people into its center.
Asst. Prof. Fatih Ertugay from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Nuh Naci Yazgan University talked about society, morals and principles of the ahi community.
Asst. Prof. Fatih Ertugay said that being honest and true, not trying to earn more that one deserves, being informed, modest, good-natured, true to one's word have been serious principles for members of the ahi community and that they internalize these principles.
Prof. Muhammet Şevki Aydın from the Philosophy and Religious Sciences Department at the Erciyes University Faculty of Theology highlighted that the ahi order was first and foremost a historical organization.
Prof. Aydın added: "Ahism is a historical phenomenon. We need to understand ahism within its own context. Then we need to investigate what this historical phenomenon, after being analyzed within its own context, tells us."
Speakers answered participants' questions at the end of the panel.
Ahmet Övüç, President of the Union of Chamber of Merchants and Craftsmen, Alaattin Fırat, Provincial Commercial Director, Mustafa Alan, President of the Credit and Surety Cooperative of Merchants and Craftsmen, students, local and international academics joined the panel.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |