Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Faculty of Education, Department of Foreign Language Education successfully hosted the “3rd Literature Day” at the EMU Activity Center with strong participation. Held under the theme “A Journey through Time”, this year’s event celebrated the timeless and universal power of literature by bringing together diverse cultures, historical periods, and human experiences through a rich blend of artistic expression. Highlighting the vital role of literature in foreign language education, the program featured poetry, theatrical performances, music, and dance, taking participants on a memorable artistic journey through time.
EMU General Secretary Derviş Ekşici, EMU Faculty of Education’s Vice Dean and Head of Department of Foreign Languages Education Assist. Prof. Dr. Fatoş Erozan, Student Development, Events and Sports Affairs Director Cemal Kılıç, Event Organizer and Foreign Language Education Department member Assist. Prof. Dr. Yeşim Betül Oktay, academic and administrative personnel as well as many students attended the said event.
Delivering the opening address, Assist. Prof. Dr. Erozan noted that the theme “A Journey through Time” serves as a reminder of literature’s unique ability to connect people across different eras, cultures, and perspectives. Addressing the audience, Director of Student Development, Activities and Sports Affairs Cemal Kılıç stressed that literature has become even more valuable in the era of artificial intelligence, describing it as one of the fundamental elements that enriches and gives meaning to human life.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Assist. Prof. Dr. Oktay expressed her hope that the occasion would be remembered as a day that touched both minds and hearts. She also explained that this year’s theme was inspired by the works of Emily Dickinson and Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, noting that both writers remind us that eternity is, in fact, found within the present moment.
A Journey beyond Time and Cultures
As part of the event, undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students from the Departments of Foreign Language Education, Turkish Language Teaching, and Psychology, as well as the Information and Communication Technologies in Education program, captivated the audience with performances of poetry, music, theatre, and dance. Through their stage presentations, they took attendees on a journey beyond time and cultures, demonstrating how literature transcends generations and preserves the richness of human emotions across the ages.
The program offered a rich multicultural literary experience, featuring poetry recitals not only in English but also in Turkish, Azerbaijani Turkish, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and Hindi. Audience enjoyed performances of works by renowned literary figures, including Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, Behçet Necatigil, Bəxtiyar Vahabzadə, Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı, Edgar Albert Guest, Evangeline Paterson, Fuzuli, Hafez, Marge Piercy, Mary Oliver, Mirabai, Nazım Hikmet, Orhan Veli Kanık, Oruç Aruoba, Səməd Vurğun, and William Ernest Henley.
The event’s poetry performances were brought to life by Birce Yılmaz, Elif Tuana Vural, Emine Akyüz, Gaye İmge Çavdar, Görkem İşçi, Havva Özkoraltay, İrem Aslan, Melek Gökhan, Mohammad Ehsan Zafar, Muhammed Sefa Karaca, Özlem Şen, Özlem Uyar, Parvin Moshfeghi, Ramin Zarbaliyev, Rüya Özgül Buruk, Şükran Yardımlı, and Yeşim Betül Oktay, who recited poems in a variety of languages, reflecting the event’s multicultural spirit. The program also featured original poems written and performed by Vaibhavi Vashishtha, a master’s student in the Department of Psychology, and guest participant Zehra Nalbantoğlu, a staff member of the Student Development, Activities and Sports Affairs Directorate, adding a distinctive and personal dimension to the event.
In addition to the poetry recitals, the audience enjoyed a staging of “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde. The cast included Department of Foreign Language Education students Alperen Okur, Büşra Işık, Fatma Hilal Çelik, Irmak Özcan, Melek Gökhan, Mohammad Ehsan Zafar, and Sesil Azra Demir. Sharing the stage with the students, Prof. Dr. Necdet Osam from the Department of Foreign Language Education exemplified the University’s collaborative learning culture, with the student–faculty performance receiving warm appreciation from the audience.
The event was hosted by Firdevs Cafoğlu and İremnur Doğa, whose costumes beautifully reflected the event’s “A Journey through Time” theme, creating a distinctive atmosphere and enhancing the overall experience for the audience. Behind the scenes, Department of Foreign Language Education students Ahmet Arda Aker and Deryıl Dermay played an active role in coordinating stage operations, ensuring the smooth execution of the program. Meanwhile, Research Assistant Ehsan Zafar from the Department of Foreign Language Education made significant contributions by directing the theatre production and supporting the promotion and documentation of the 3rd Literature Day, playing a key role in the successful organization of the event.
In addition to the theatrical performance, the program was further enriched by a variety of music and dance performances. Begüm Karak performed a piano recital, Samet Vahit Taşdemir delivered a bağlama performance, while Ayşe Ecem Korkmaz and Fatma Çalışkan contributed with their vocal performances. An original dance performance by Vaibhavi Vashishtha was also met with great appreciation from the audience. The 3rd Literature Day concluded with the presentation of certificates to all participants, followed by a commemorative group photograph marking the successful completion of the event.