Etkinlikler

Dear Geologists, Nature Lovers, Decision Makers, Representatives of the Public Opinion,

We are honoured to organise the 70th Geological Congress of Turkey (GCT), Turkey`s sole and only perennial international geology platform since 1947, that will take place on 10-14 April 2017 and during the congress various issues concerning earth and geology will be discussed; we are therefore pleased to invite you to this international meeting.  The main theme of the 70th GCT, is determined as "Cultural Geology" and "Geological Heritage". 

Culture, roughly, is knowledge, belief, art, technology, tradition, law and restrictions, individual and multiple life styles that were created by human generations and societies and essentially develops in accordance with the physical space that human beings live in. If we take a closer look, today and in the past, all human settlements, migrations, wars, art and civilisation are depended upon local conditions such as sufficient water, the condition of land, flora, rock structure, climate, the existence of raw materials, energy resources, etc. These are the research areas of the geologists and in esence lies in the interest of Cultural Geology. Cultural Geology is a new and rapidly developing research area. If we consider the fact that the first human settlements, first cultures and civilisations, including the domestication of plants and animals, were launched in the Middle East and Anatolia, the link between the scientific mission and the main theme of the 70th GCT can easily be understood. 

The Second World War, besides bringing catastrophes to the societies of the day, changed the lives of all people, and caused the emergence of new approaches and new alliances together with new research topics in its aftermath. New institutions, such as the UNESCO, were established to lay the peace culture via science and education whereas the UNDP, the World Bank, the FAO for welfare and development. The IUCN, the UNEP and the WHC (World Heritage Centre) were born for the protection of rapidly consumed non-renewable natural resources, polluted environment and destructed cultural heritage. These institutions, even they could not be fully successful in the protection of peace, environment and nature, had led the constitution of public institutions in several countries which have been maintaining similar endeavours and the deployment of new research areas. Nature, natural environment, biological diversity, wild life, protection of nature, geological heritage are some of those. These are main topics of the earth and geology. We have professional as well as humanitarian responsibilities for the environment and the nature that we live upon. With this understanding Geological Heritage was chosen as one of the main themes of the 70th Geology Congress of Turkey.

Cultural Geology and Geological Heritage represents the geological wealth for Turkey in terms of its unique geographical location, geological condition and archaeological position.  During the congress, along with other topics of the geology this wealth will be handled and will try to raise awareness in the public opinion. During the congress, which is open to national and foreign participants, national and regional researches in the fields that are sine qua non of geology, such as structural geology, tectonic, stratigraphy, palaeontology, mineral deposits, petrography, etc. The main aim is to contribute the social development. We will be waiting for your participation. 

Best regards, 

Nizamettin KAZANCI

On behalf of Organizing Committee