The Presentation and Restoration Start Ceremony of the Project for the Reconstruction of the Historical Unkapanı Mill, one of the most important cultural heritages of Istanbul, as the Süleymaniye Campus of our University, was held on March 28, 2024 on the Unkapanı Mill land, which gave its name to the region, in cooperation with our University and Fatih Municipality.
At the ceremony, which started with greeting speeches after reciting the Holy Quran, Prof. İrfan Gündüz, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of our University, expressed his happiness that a building with such a historical value has been incorporated into our University. Prof. Gündüz also expressed his sincere thanks to the Mayor of Fatih Municipality Ergün Turan, Former Mayor of Fatih Municipality and AK Party Istanbul Parliament Member and Board of Directors of Istanbul Commodity Exchange Chairman Ali Kopuz, who supported the project from the beginning of the process to the current point, and concluded his speech by mentioning that he hopes that the project will be instrumental in good deeds and good innovations.
After Prof. İrfan Gündüz, Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of our University, stated that the restoration of historical heritage is not an easy process and that this can only be done by giving a function to that building. Mr. Erdoğan concluded his speech by expressing his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the project, mentioning that the academics, students and people doing high-level academic studies will add value to the region thanks to the facilities in the project.
In his welcoming speeches, our Rector Prof. Atilla Arkan mentioned the historical importance of the Unkapanı Mill, mentioning that the place was built as a mill called Unkapanı in the late 1800s, and that the wheat coming from the Golden Horn was processed here and then met the food needs of the people of Istanbul. Prof. Arkan concluded his speech by expressing his hope that Ibn Haldun University will meet the region's need for education, knowledge, thought and art in the area in question, and by announcing that they will create an area where those who have a project on any subject can discuss their projects in open offices as a first.
In his welcoming speeches, Fatih Mayor Ergün Turan underlined that the most exceptional place where we will revive our high civilization and show this magnificent civilization is the Süleymaniye and Zeyrek regions, and stated that the project is also an example that supports local development. Turan concluded his speech by promising they will work as a stakeholder of our University and a member of our board of trustees from the beginning to the end of the project.
Finally, Mustafa Demir, Former Mayor of Fatih Municipality and AK Party Istanbul Deputy Mustafa Demir, who mentioned the importance of evaluating unique buildings such as the historical Unkapanı Mill, which has been abandoned over time around Süleymaniye and Zeyrek, with its university identity, ended his speech by thanking everyone who contributed to the project.
The Presentation and Restoration Start Ceremony of the Project for the Revitalization of the Historical Unkapanı Mill as the Süleymaniye Campus of our University ended after the prayers of Başakşehir District Mufti Abdurrahman Şenoğlu and a souvenir photo shoot.
Within the scope of the restoration project, which is designed as the face of Ibn Haldun University in the heart of Istanbul, it is planned to build a living, developing and producing facility for both the students of our University and non-university participants such as master's and doctoral education, continuing education centers, incubation centers for project designs and foreign language centers on a total area of 10,000 acres covered by the historical Unkapanı Mill.
