Here is a 13-minute documentary on Turkiye:

DID YOU KNOW THAT...?

• The oldest known human settlement is in Catalhoyuk, Turkiye (7^th Millennium B.C.)
• Writing was first used by people in ancient Anatolia. The first clay tablets –in the ruins of Assyrian Karum– date back to 1950 B.C.
• The first church built by man (St. Peter's Church) is in Antioch (Antakya), Turkiye.
• The Seven Churches of Revelation mentioned in the New Testament Book of Revelation are all in Turkiye.
• Ephesus and Halicarnassus –two of the wonders of the ancient world– are in Turkiye.
• St. Nicholas, also known as Santa Clause, was born in Demre, on Turkiye's Mediterranean Coast.
• Noah's Ark landed on Mount Ararat (Agri Dagi) in Eastern Turkiye.
• Istanbul is the only city in the world situated on two continents.
• Tradition in Turkiye states that a stranger at one's doorstep is considered "God's guest" for at least three days.
• The First Ecumenical Council was held in Iznik, Turkiye.
• The famous Trojan Wars took place in Western Turkiye, around the site where the Trojan horse stands today.
• The first Neolithic paintings found on man-made walls are in Catalhoyuk.
• Anatolia is the birth place of historic legends, such as Homer (the poet), King Midas, Heredotus (the father of history), and St. Paul the Apostle.
• Julius Caesar proclaimed his celebrated words, "Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered)" in Turkiye when he defeated the Pontus, a formidable kingdom in the Black Sea region in Turkiye.
• It was Turkiye that extended an immediate welcome to the persecuted Jews of Spain in 1492.

Photos from 2^nd Annual Trip to Turkiye – May, 2007

Some attendees of the previous trips...

• Leroy D. Baca – Los Angeles County Sheriff
• Michael Poehlman – Reno Police Chief
• Steve Farley – Arizona State Representative
• Ed Ableser – Arizona State Representative
• Jackie Thrasher – Arizona State Representative
• Jeffrey Jennings – Malibu Mayor
• Cruz Reynoso – Former Associate of Justice, California Supreme Court

Rev. Patrick Howell, S.J., a participant of the 2008 trip, has shared some of his reflections in his Seattle Times column.

The article, A special visit to Turkey, by Phil Gerson, received a nationwide coverage.

You may also view an article about the experience from Lyn Lambert, a participant of 2006 trip.

Reflections on 2006–2007 Trip

"Visiting Turkey was an inspiring experience! The country’s rich mix of cultures and religious traditions provided us with food for the soul. Our group of Muslims, Jews, and Christians traveling together developed deep bonds of friendship and mutual respect as we learned from one another about our common values and shared commitment to peace and democracy.

As a student of medieval spirituality, I had read much about Turkish history, architecture, art, and religion. But now I have an even deeper appreciation for the warmth of the Turkish people, who welcomed us with such amazing hospitality. I hope to return to Turkey again and again!"

Arthur Holder
Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of Christian Spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union

"I and my wife Julian have lived among Muslims for 50 years because we have lived in Middle East a lot, but we’ve come to appreciate Islam in a very different way on this trip from any previous time. And I think Julian expressed it best. She was full of emotion. She said a few days ago that she feels closer to Muslims she has met in Turkey who share the values of tolerance, openness, and love, respect, nonviolence then she does members of her own church who see violent and so forth. So, and I would say the same thing for me. This trip has helped us to see we have many many friends that we didn’t know about in Turkey and in Islam to whom we feel very close.

And we are grateful to the Turkish Muslim students at UCR who reached out to us who included us in their activities and that has brought us into much wider circle that has enriched our lives. We expanded our horizons in our lives. We have been to Turkey many times. We have seen the historical sites, the archeological sites but we had never experienced the people the way we have this time. That was a very rich experience that would not have happened were it not for Pacifica’s invitation. So we are very very thankful."

Lawrence Geraty
President, La Sierra University

"I was privileged to travel throughout Turkey this past summer as a guest of Pacifica Institute. In addition to seeing the beauty of that exquisite land, we had an opportunity to meet businessmen and their families. We were treated royally, embraced, and made to feel at home in their homes, businesses, and educational institutions.

It was a privilege to attend a worship service at the fifteenth–century Blue Mosque in Istanbul, a blend of graceful and carefully choreographed movements accompanied by the Imam’s soulful chanting. After the prayers, the Imam welcomed us, thanked us for coming, and spoke of the importance of religious diversity. We also had the privilege of meeting with the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Constantinople, who spoke about the emphasis he has placed on world–wide ecological issues."

Stephen S. Pearce
Senior Rabbi of Congregation Emanu–El, San Francisco

"This trip was not my first visit to Turkey, but it was by far the most memorable! The hospitality and generosity extended to us was incredible! As a reader of the poetry of Rumi, it was also very moving for me to visit his tomb. Equally impressive was the visit to the Vatican Embassy in which Archbishop Angelo Roncalli (the future Pope John XXIII) worked to promote harmonious relations between Catholics and Turks, and Popes Paul VI and John Paul II stayed during their visits to Istanbul.

But of all the incredible experiences this trip afforded me, perhaps the most memorable was the ability to interact with the Turkish people, whom I found to be warm, hospitable, gracious, generous, curious, and genuinely just as interested in learning about me as I was interested in learning about them, that together we might progress in mutual respect and acceptance. I cannot recommend Pacifica highly enough, and, should you have the opportunity of accepting their invitation to join them in Turkey, I urge you to do so – you will not regret it!"

Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith
Ecumenical & Interreligious Officer – Archdiocese of Los Angeles

2010 trip will be held between June 14^th–June 25^th (tentative). Contact us for more information.