AGU's Solution to Cultural Challenges

For the Syrians living in Kayseri, the Faculty of Architecture prepared a social project titled "Culture and Global Crisis." Students and faculty members of the Faculty of Architecture met refugees at the Museum of Seljuk Civilization within the scope of the project realized to contribute to the adaptation of refugees to the society and the new environment and to bring learning outside the classrooms.

Within "Humanity 102" course of the Faculty, together with their professors students guided the refugees in the museum and explained exhibits to them.

During the visit, students gave Syrian refugees the message that two countries shared a common culture and lived together for thousands of years through the exhibits and the cultural traces they bore.

Asst. Prof. Cinzia Tavernari, faculty member at the Faculty of Architecture and coordinator of the project, said that they prepared the project based on the needs of the real life, that it was a cultural project involving students and aimed to contribute to the problems of the Syrian refugees by way of creating a cultural bond.

Tavernari also said that besides helping the Syrian refugees with their adaptation problems, that kind of a project also brought learning outside the classrooms. She added:

"Within this scope, our students helped refugees overcoming the culture shock they experienced through explaining Anatolian history, art and culture in the Seljuk Museum. Students highlighted historical ties, common ground and cultural interaction between Turkey and Syria through various examples and they will meet the refugees in future activities."

Tavernari also added that "Open Arms in Kayseri", a charity helping refugees staying in Kayseri, supported the implementation of the project.