Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that the restoration of historical and cultural buildings in Hatay, which were damaged by the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, will begin next month.
Ersoy, who checked the structures affected by the earthquakes in the Antakya district, made a statement at the Hatay Archeology Museum, expressing his condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives in the earthquake. Stating that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has an emergency disaster prevention plan prepared by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, Ersoy continued as follows:
“Within the scope of this precautionary plan, the actions to be taken in case all our museums and archaeological sites across Turkey are exposed to disaster are ready. Procedures such as which team from which city will intervene in which museum is damaged, which experts will come, and where extra security personnel will be sent are certain. We tested it well in this earthquake. Our teams responded to the damaged points in museums and ruins in 11 cities, as planned, without delay. We are currently carrying out damage assessments of our cultural assets in 10 cities with very large teams. Identification of structures affiliated to both our General Directorate of Foundations and our General Directorate of Cultural Heritage continues rapidly. We are already at the end.”
Minister Ersoy stated that teams of 78 people affiliated to the General Directorate of Foundations are working in Hatay, and the damage assessments of cultural assets belonging to both the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the public have been completed.
Ersoy stated that in the second stage, protection plates are primarily placed on the assets belonging to citizens and private persons, and that this is done in order not to remove the debris of the structures in question.
Announcing that the protection strips will begin to be drawn in these areas as of today, Ersoy said, “There will be studies that we will carry out under the control, supervision and leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism both during the debris removal and restructuring of the part of the city that remains in the urban protected area. I visited many places today. There are also heavily damaged, destroyed, slightly damaged and moderately damaged areas. At the first stage, as of March, without waiting, we are starting the restoration of the existing structures, the survey of which is available.” he said.
Minister Ersoy emphasized that as of March, work will begin on public buildings and public cultural properties throughout Hatay.
“We will provide both financial and technical support”
Explaining that as of next week, they will start contacting the property owners in registered buildings belonging to private individuals, Ersoy continued his words as follows:
“We will call them all and talk. We will tell them how to intervene together because we need their approval and agreement as they are privately owned. We will create an action plan with them and be involved in them. We quickly allocated a very serious fund both for the buildings belonging to our General Director of Foundations and for the buildings belonging to our General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums. We start work without waiting. We will also make adjustments in our regulation regarding privately owned properties; It's about the earthquake. We will provide them with both financial and technical support at a very serious level. We will provide both substantial financial and technical support to those who cannot afford it or those belonging to private foundations. If there are those who want it to be completely under our control, we will take them as well.”
Explaining that they will implement a different method they used in metropolitan cities, Ersoy said, “We will create a cultural route for Hatay and Antakya. We will restore all registered structures on these routes. We will resurrect those who have been completely destroyed, together with the parts we can salvage. Here we need to write a new story; to Antakya and Hatay. This story should be a culture, gastronomy and tourism based story. Here, too, there should be buildings with registered monumental value, which should be pioneered. That is why we have to take the first step.” used the phrase.
“We will take responsibility for all registered structures”
Expressing that they will make plans with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Ersoy said, “We will plan as a cultural route at points with urban sites and start restoration and reconstruction activities as of the next month, as the Ministry, without waiting too long as of March.” made the statement.
Ersoy reminded that there are many mosques belonging to the General Directorate of Foundations in Hatay, and said:
“We also have registered mosques that do not belong to the General Directorate of Foundations. We take responsibility for all of these. Likewise, Hatay and Antakya have another feature, you know, this is a mosaic. The meeting point of religions. We also have synagogues and synagogues here. All mosques are our mosques, all synagogues, synagogues are our synagogues, our synagogues. With this awareness, we will assume the responsibility of all registered structures in this region as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. If there are such structures belonging to private foundations, we will contact them as of tomorrow and we will reconstruct them without waiting. Our goal is to quickly revive these places in less than a year and bring them back on their feet.”
Mentioning that they will also establish a scientific committee for Antakya and Hatay, Ersoy said, “Especially, it will consist of teachers from this place. We are planning to re-plan this route in line with a plan drawn by the instructors. Because, for the next 50 years, the new route of the city should be on culture, gastronomy and tourism. Now, this place needs to meet with biennials and art again and write a new story. Here, too, our Ministry will assume the leading role.” he said.
Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy visited Sarımiye Mosque, Habibi Neccar Mosque and Habibi Neccar Foundation Cultural Mansions, Grand Mosque, Jewish Synagogue, Uzun Bazaar, Hatay Parliament Building, Hatay City Museum and Necmi Asfuroğlu Archeology Museum.
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